Go to contents

Traditional fishing method to be named as intangible cultural property

Traditional fishing method to be named as intangible cultural property

Posted January. 30, 2019 08:13,   

Updated January. 30, 2019 08:13

한국어

The traditional fishing method unique to the Korean Peninsula, which uses geographical features, tidal current, and the characteristics of fish as well as fishing gears to catch fish, will be added to the list of intangible cultural property.

The Cultural Heritage Administration said on Tuesday that it will designate the traditional fishing method that has been handed down by generations in fishing villages as intangible cultural property. The traditional fishing method encompasses relevant culture and knowledge as well as the fishing technique itself.

The traditional fishing method has originated from the act of catching fish with fishing gears in ancient times. The word “fish trap” found in the documentations in the Goryeo and the Joseon dynasties serves as a proof of the fishing method. A “fish trap” is a tool, which helps fishermen catch fish at low tide by hanging a bamboo blind or building rocks.

In the late Joseon period, other tools such as “Bangryeom” and “Jangsal” emerged with the development of fishing techniques and increasing demand of seafood. “Bangryeom” is a fishing gear, in which a rock is hung at the bottom of wooden columns, whereas “Jangsal” is a fishing gear that hangs a bamboo blind between the wooden columns.

These traditional fishing methods have been on the decline since the 1970s. Currently, these fishing methods are being used in only a few regions, including Jijok, Mado, and Jeodo in South Gyeongsang Province.


Won-Mo Yu onemore@donga.com