Yeongdeok-gun District Mayor Jo Ju-hong moves snow crabs at the Ganggu Port auction house in Yeongdeok, North Gyeongsang Province, on Wednesday. [Yeongdeok-gun]
Yeongdeok-gun District Mayor Jo Ju-hong moves snow crabs at the Ganggu Port auction house in Yeongdeok, North Gyeongsang Province, on Wednesday. [Yeongdeok-gun]

Yeongdeok snow crabs from North Gyeongsang Province have returned to market after a five-month fishing ban, kicking off the season's first auction and the start of full-scale harvesting operations.

According to Yeongdeok-gun, the first auction of the year was held Wednesday at the Ganggu Port auction house, marking the end of the ban that runs each year from June through October. Three offshore gill-net vessels registered at Ganggu Port took part, bringing in a total of 4,249 kilograms of snow crab.

The top bid reached 165,000 won ($123) per crab — based on a 1.5-kilogram specimen — and total sales came to 246 million won.

The Yeongdeok snow crab fishing season runs from November through May of the following year, following the annual June-to-October moratorium.

Offshore operations begin in early November, with the fishing range expanding to coastal waters in December, when larger volumes are expected to reach the market.

Yeongdeok snow crab is one of the region's signature seafood products, prized nationwide for its clean flavor and rich aroma. The crab has won top honors in the seafood category of the Korea Representative Brand Awards 13 consecutive times, cementing its reputation as a premium brand.

Yeongdeok-gun District Mayor Jo Ju-hong visited the auction house Wednesday to observe the first sale and encourage fishers, brokers and vendors, while also listening to their concerns about fishing operations and retail distribution.

"We will work to create an environment where fishers can operate with stability and receive fair prices, so that the vitality of the snow crab industry can flow through to the broader local economy," Jo said.


kbj7653@heraldcorp.com