The transcript describes a detailed account of the skate fishing industry, its history, and the people involved in it. The story begins with a skate buoy, which is used to catch skates. The buoy is specially weighted and set up with a fishing line. The fishermen retrieve the line after 23 days, hoping to catch skates. However, they often find only empty hooks. This is because skates have different paths they travel, and the fishermen have to set up the buoys at various points along these paths.
The fishermen's lives are hard and frustrating, as they spend long days and nights at sea. They catch skates, set up the fishing lines again, and then go out to sea for another cycle. Despite the hardships, they continue to fish because they feel a sense of duty to the skate season.
The skates they catch are from Heuksando Island, a place known for its skate population. The skates are unique and grow to be very large, living in the deep sea and hiding in the sand to catch food. They are a late-season species that flock to Heuksando and Apa Island when it's time to spawn.
The skates' breeding process is also described. They lay egg cases called eggshells, which are firmly fixed to rice or water plants. The eggshells are very long, and the skate chicks spend a long time in them, sometimes 6 to 9 months.
The skates are then processed and aged in a ripening room. This is where they acquire their unique taste. The skates are then sold and consumed, with some being imported and others being locally caught. The taste of the skate is described as spicy and body-wrenching, and it's often served with makgeolli, a type of Korean rice wine.
The story also touches on the history and cultural significance of skate fishing. It mentions the story of Moon Sun-deuk, a skate seller in the late Joseon Dynasty, who crossed the sea to look for skates. His descendants continue to sell skates, running the same business as their ancestors.
In the present day, the skate market in Mokpo is bustling with activity. Skate shops line the streets, and skate is a popular food item. The skates sold today are often imported, but there is still a demand for locally caught skates.
Overall, the transcript provides a comprehensive look into the skate fishing industry, its history, and its cultural significance. It highlights the hardships faced by the fishermen but also the importance of their work in maintaining a local food tradition.
1. The text describes a small buoy with a diameter of 30 cm that is used to tow a large boat and its crew.
2. The buoy is specially weighed for catching skates, a fish species found in the area.
3. A fishing line is used to catch skates, which are often caught empty.
4. Skates are known to travel different paths, and gunraks are set up along these paths to catch them.
5. The sea has recovered greatly due to efforts to prevent overfishing and crack down on illegal fishing.
6. The crew members have different backgrounds, but they all share the same dream of a full ship when they go out to sea.
7. Skate fishing boats in the nearby waters operate for a while before going back to sea.
8. The fishing line is about 1 mile and 2km long, requiring the crew to ride about 60 ropes.
9. Skates are considered a special product of Heuksan Island due to their popularity.
10. Skates are distributed all over the west coast, from Heuksan Island to Daecheong Island, the northernmost island.
11. Skates lay egg cases called eggshells, which are firmly fixed to rice or water plants.
12. The skate is born in a hard shell and grows safely inside, receiving nutrients from the egg yolk.
13. The skate's unique taste is born in a place where the pungent scent of ammonia stings the nose, referred to as the skate ripening room.
14. The introduction of foreign skates has increased rapidly as the number of people who have tasted skates has increased.
15. Imports of foreign skates have increased rapidly as the number of people who have tasted skates has increased.
16. More than 80% of the skates distributed in Korea are said to be imported skates.
17. Imported skates are brought into the country in a frozen state.
18. The difference between domestic skates and imported skates is said to be significant due to the different areas and methods of catching them.
19. Kim Chun-ja, who has been handling skates in Mokpo for a long time, is feeling the change in people's tastes.
20. In the past, skates were famous due to the release of our country's products, but now they are not as famous as Bell.
21. The story of Moon Sun-deuk, a skate seller, is recorded in a book by Jeong Yak-jeon.
22. Moon Sun-deuk crossed the sea to look for skates in 1802.
23. Moon Sun-deuk's 5th-generation granddaughter, Moon Mae-sun, is currently running the same business that her 5th-great-grandfather did.
24. The spicy taste of a piece of skate in a glass of makgeolli brings back memories from long ago.
25. The spicy taste of skate has become less than before, and the most delicious part is called the nose.