"Just Bear With Us for a Month"... Illegal Blue Crab Fishing Continues in Gunsan During Closed Season

A fishing boat and a refrigerated truck attempting to catch and distribute blue crabs during the closed season (June 21 to August 20) off the coast of Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, have been caught by the maritime police.

The Gunsan Coast Guard announced today (July 28) that it is investigating the captain of a 4.95-ton fishing boat, a man in his 50s surnamed A, and a truck driver in his 40s under the Fisheries Resources Management Act.

At 3:07 AM today, A and B were caught by undercover coast guard officers while transferring 1.3 tons (133 nets) of blue crabs to a refrigerated truck in Sinsido, Okdo-myeon, Gunsan.

Catching, collecting, distributing, or processing blue crabs during the closed season is punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won.

Nevertheless, illegal blue crab fishing persists during the closed season because prices surge due to a near-total lack of supply, and blue crabs are more abundant during their spawning season compared to other times.

Previously, on the previous day, a refrigerated truck that transferred blue crabs from a fishing boat using the same method at the Jangjado pier in Gunsan was also caught in a crackdown and is currently under investigation by the coast guard.

An official from the Gunsan Coast Guard stated, "Illegal blue crab fishing during the closed season has been continuously uncovered in areas such as Yamido, Jangjado, and Sinsido in Gunsan," adding, "We ask all fishermen to participate in protecting closed-season species to preserve fishery resources."

(Photo provided by Gunsan Coast Guard, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.