Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province (Governor Woo Sang-ho, hereinafter referred to as the Province) announced that an "East Coast Bluefin Tuna Mutual Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)" was signed on October 14 between the Gangwon Set Net Fisheries Association (Chairman Kim Hyuk-soo) and Sajo Seafood Co., Ltd. (CEO Kim Chi-gon). This agreement serves as a cooperative initiative between producer organizations and distribution companies to enhance the commercial value of East Coast bluefin tuna and stabilize prices during periods of large-scale catches.

This agreement was pursued to resolve structural issues in the production and distribution processes, where bluefin tuna caught in large quantities on the East Coast failed to fetch fair market prices due to a lack of proper onboard handling techniques and limited storage infrastructure.

Through this MOU, Sajo Seafood, South Korea's largest tuna distribution company, will provide set net fishermen with onboard processing standard technology education—the core of maintaining freshness, such as bleeding and gutting—along with related tools.

Additionally, the company will secure stable sales channels by giving priority purchasing rights to high-quality bluefin tuna preprocessed according to standard specifications. They will also negotiate and establish reasonable benchmark prices corresponding to quality and yield. Furthermore, both parties will cooperate on protecting bluefin tuna resources by sharing catch data and complying with Total Allowable Catch (TAC) regulations.

The Province plans to go all-out in advancing the local bluefin tuna distribution and processing industry by actively supporting win-win cooperation between producers and private enterprises.

Starting next year, the Province will actively pursue securing essential distribution infrastructure, such as establishing a "Seafood Cold Chain (Ultra-low Temperature/Refrigerated Container) System," to ensure that caught bluefin tuna maintains optimal freshness from the production site to the consumer. Parallel support measures will also be implemented, including petitioning the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to expand catch quotas and improving refrigeration facilities.

Son Chang-hwan, Head of the Global Headquarters of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, stated, "This business agreement goes beyond simple catch management; it will serve as a crucial turning point for East Coast bluefin tuna resources to establish themselves as a high-value-added processing and distribution industry. At the provincial level, we will do our utmost to lead to increased fishermen's income and the creation of new values in the local fisheries industry through cold chain infrastructure construction and active administrative support."

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