The number of tropical fish inhabiting the waters off the shores of Jeju Island, south of the Korean Peninsula, has been increasing every year and now accounts for half of the type of fish living in the area.

Tropical fish account for 51 percent, or 48 types, of the 95 species of fish caught along the coast of Jeju Island during quarterly test harvests, according to the Subtropical Fisheries Research Center, part of the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI).

Tropical fish mainly found there include bluestriped angelfish (Chaetodontoplus septentrionalis), porcupine fish (Diodon holacanthus), trunkfish (Ostracion immaculatusPrionurus scalprum), seabeauty butterflyfish (Chaetodon wiebeli), and pinecone fish (Monocentris japonica). These fish usually inhabit the shores of the Philippines, Taiwan and Okinawa.

According to a series of studies by the Subtropical Fisheries Research Center, the portion of tropical fish in Jeju waters stood at 48 percent in 2011, 46 percent in 2012 and 51 percent in 2013, showing a growing percentage of tropical fish in general. These tropical fish living near the island, along with various types of coral reefs and marine plants, are expected to become an attraction for scuba divers and tourists.

"We are going to further study the ecology of tropical fish whose numbers are growing along the shores of Jeju every year. We will continue to conduct research into their influences on and relationship with ingenious fish and the marine ecosystem," said an official from the Subtropical Fisheries Research Center.


By Limb Jae-un
Korea.net Staff Writer
jun2@korea.kr