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First Harvest Immediately After the Fishing Moratorium: Full-Scale Launch of the Offshore Pacific Bluefin Tuna High-Value Pilot Project

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Busan Metropolitan City, led by Mayor Chun Jae-soo, announced that the first direct transaction under the Pacific Bluefin Tuna High-Value Pilot Project was successfully completed on the morning of July 7.

The pilot project is being carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Large Purse Seine Fisheries Cooperative, and Dongwon Industries, one of Korea’s leading seafood processing and distribution companies.

As climate change has led to increased catches of Pacific bluefin tuna in Korea’s offshore waters, this direct transaction marks the first case of shifting away from the conventional auction-centered distribution system toward a domestic direct-distribution system designed to serve Korean consumers.

Although the initial transaction volume was relatively small, it is significant as the starting point of a new distribution system that delivers Korean-caught Pacific bluefin tuna directly to domestic consumers instead of exporting it at low prices to countries such as Japan due to declining freshness.

The foundation for the pilot project was established in March when Dongwon Industries and the Large Purse Seine Fisheries Cooperative signed a memorandum of understanding, supported by administrative measures including institutional improvements provided by Busan Metropolitan City and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

The project was temporarily postponed because the formation period of Pacific bluefin tuna schools overlapped with the voluntary fishing moratorium for the large purse seine fishery, which ran from April 30 to July 3. However, following the successful catch of Pacific bluefin tuna on July 7 after the moratorium ended, the pilot project officially commenced with a significantly streamlined distribution process.

The project aims to improve freshness, quality, and added value by enabling direct transactions between the two large purse seine fishing fleets and Dongwon Industries, thereby reducing intermediary distribution stages and shortening the time required to bring the product to market.

Despite their excellent quality, Pacific bluefin tuna caught in Korea’s offshore waters have long been disadvantaged by the traditional wholesale auction system, which involves overnight landings and auctions that reduce freshness. As a result, they have struggled to gain acceptance in the domestic market, leading to lower market prices and continued reliance on exports to Japan.

This direct transaction represents a distribution innovation that immediately connects Pacific bluefin tuna caught by large purse seine fleets with Dongwon Industries, which possesses ultra-low-temperature processing infrastructure. It is expected to become the first step toward establishing a stable year-round domestic distribution system for premium-quality, fresh Korean-caught Pacific bluefin tuna.

Pacific bluefin tuna is a species subject to strict management by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), which allocates catch limits to member countries for resource conservation. Based on objective and scientific data demonstrating the increase in Pacific bluefin tuna resources in Korea’s offshore waters, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has actively engaged member countries and succeeded in expanding Korea’s annual catch quota from 748 metric tons in 2024 to 1,219 metric tons in 2026, while continuing efforts to secure additional quota allocations.

Through this improved distribution system, Busan Metropolitan City expects to enhance the freshness and quality of Pacific bluefin tuna, increase fishermen’s incomes, expand the year-round supply of domestically caught Pacific bluefin tuna, improve public access to high-quality seafood, and strengthen the global reputation of K-Pacific Bluefin Tuna.

Cho Young-tae, Director General of the Marine and Fisheries Bureau of Busan Metropolitan City, said, “The introduction of catches through this pilot project marks an important first step toward raising the value of Korean-caught Pacific bluefin tuna, increasing fishermen’s incomes, and promoting domestic consumption. It will also serve as a catalyst for developing a high-value-added fisheries industry.”

He added, “We will closely evaluate the outcomes of this pilot project, expand this high-income model throughout the fisheries sector, and continue working to provide citizens with the freshest and safest seafood available.”