"100,000 won fish endlessly available just 15 minutes away"... Winter cod fishing in the waters off Geoje

From December to February, when the full-scale cold begins, the waters off Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, become busy to catch 'cod,' which is responsible for the winter season. This is the period when the struggle of fishermen begins to catch large-sized cod that flock to Geoje for spawning. In the waters off Geoje, where the largest cod fishing grounds in the country are formed, the footsteps of fishermen heading out to nearby fishing grounds every morning continue.

"If you're not careful, they all escape"... 'Homang' fishing to catch cod without injury

According to an EBS documentary video, fishermen from Isudo Island, Geoje, head out to nearby fishing grounds every morning to catch cod. After traveling about 15 to 20 minutes by boat for fishing, the full-scale work begins. The main fishing gear they use is 'homang.' Homang consists of an il-geum-mul, poimang, and jaru-geum-mul, and it is a method of trapping cod inside a bag-shaped net. Fishing proceeds by retrieving the poimang, which was pre-installed in the fishing grounds, a few days later.

The reason for using homang is to catch cod without causing injuries. Since a single cod can weigh as much as 7 to 10kg, the process of pulling up the net while enduring water pressure and weight is very cautious. An interviewee in the video expressed tension, saying, "If you make a mistake, the net can tear and all the cod can escape." In particular, in Geoje, the mesh spacing is set wide to avoid small fish and catch only large ones. Among the caught cod, females called 'sunnom' are highly popular because they are full of meat and have rich, savory 'iri (milt).' Sometimes, giant cod reaching 1 meter in length are brought up.

Meanwhile, about 70 fishing vessels in Geoje are continuing operations with homang permits. In cases where gillnets are used, bone marks can be left on the fish's neck, so there is a tendency to prefer homang even though it requires more strength. During fishing, other species such as mulgeuchi (rockfish) may also get caught in the net besides cod, but for Geoje fishermen in winter, fish other than cod are closer to uninvited guests than welcomed guests.

The increase in catch brought by the 'Fertilized Egg Release Project' started in 1981

Although the catch was once so low that people said the species had dried up, the catch has recently been on a steady increasing trend every winter. This is analyzed as a result of the 'Cod Fertilized Egg Release Project' that began in 1981. Through this project, which extracts ovaries from females and milt from males to create artificial fertilized eggs for release, the released fertilized eggs grow into adults 3 to 5 years later and return to the waters off Geoje.

Along with these efforts to recover fishery resources, institutional mechanisms for sustainable fishing are also in place. A closed season is set for one month starting from January 15 every year to limit the catch and protect cod resources. As the year's sea harvest is determined by the single winter fishing season, cod is like "a precious existence and a life companion that must go together for a lifetime" to the fishermen.

"There is nothing to throw away"... The transformation of cod into a rice thief

A place as intense as the fishing itself is the processing workshop at the port. This place, which must process hundreds of cod in a single day, is truly a 'battlefield.' Because cod have such tough bones and are so large, hammers must be used for processing. The workshop sometimes has to handle a volume of 600 to 700 fish per day, and the grueling work of constantly moving cod weighing up to 10kg per box is repeated.

The processed cod is processed differently depending on its use. After removing the gills and internal organs and drying it for about ten days to fifteen days, it becomes 'dried cod.' Dried cod is a precious food served on feast tables or memorial service tables in Geoje. Also, 'yak-daegu' is made by emptying the internal organs without cutting the belly open and then drying it with salt for 3 months. Since the internal organs must be removed without cutting the belly open, yak-daegu requires skilled techniques.

The uses of different parts of the cod are endless. Various dishes are possible, from cod soup with clear broth to spicy braised cod and fried cod made from thick meat. In particular, the 'iri,' which is rich in savory protein, and the large eggs are mixed with seasoning to make 'cod egg jeotgal,' which serves perfectly as a rice thief with its salty taste. Additionally, the reddish gills are also made into 'gill jeotgal' by salting and seasoning them. Cod grow by eating abundant food, to the extent that abalone can be found in their intestines, and it is a precious ingredient with nothing to throw away by part.