A new breed of flatfish developed in Korea has been exported to China for the first time.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced on Nov. 10 that it has shipped around 20,000 turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), a type of flatfish, to mainland China. The breed was developed from the offspring of a female turbot imported from France in 2013.

Turbots are fast-growing fish that live in temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius. They have firm, white flesh that retains its appearance when cooked, and are commonly eaten steamed or poached across Europe and China.



The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has been working on its "Golden Seed Project" since 2012, which focuses on developing improved breeds of flatfish, sea bass, abalone and seaweed using Korean technology. The ministry invested around KRW 3.7 billion over the past four years into developing the improved breed of turbot, controlling the breeding environment and rearing systems to achieve its desired qualities. A total of KRW 78.4 billion will be invested in the Golden Seed Project by 2021.

Using the turbot exports as leverage, the ministry has plans to export the flatfish breed to other countries around the world. It is also exploring the possibility of setting up a fish farm in Peru.

"Exporting our breed of turbot to China, one of the leading producers of turbot in the world, has provided a gateway for future exports to other related markets," said a representative from the ministry. "Within this year, we plan to export our sea bass breeds, while working on creating better, more improved breeds for export."

By Lee Hana
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photo: Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries
hlee10@korea.kr