Tag Archives: Dongwon Industries

Dongwon Industries catches bluefin tuna for first time in waters off Iceland

Dongwon Industries Co., South Korea’s largest fishing company, said Tuesday it netted up tuna from high-latitude North Atlantic Ocean, a deep-sea area nearly monopolized by Japanese fishers well experienced against tumultuous sea climate and freezing waters. The company said it will put the first catches at its retail restaurants this month. The top-tier bluefin features thick fat and firm texture built to protect body temperature from cold exposure. The North Atlantic species represent only 0.4 percent of bluefin tuna caught around the world. Because of this rarity, a 400kg bluefin tuna caught in the sea sells at about 12 million won ($10,000) in the international market. The tuna fishing company has operated mostly in southern Pacific Ocean. The company said its advance into the high-latitude North Atlantic Ocean required 16 months of preparation. Ships were modified to shield against the waves and to allow better drainage. In addition, a veteran fishing foreman was recruited from Japan. The company sailed two fishing vessels to fish tuna throughout October in the waters off Iceland. The tuna caught weighs over 200kg on average and the heaviest one weighs nearly 300kg, the company said.  Link 12:47

Judge: Dongwon knew seiner was unseaworthy before sinking

A judge with the District Court of Guam has determined Dongwon Industries knew about the unseaworthy condition of a vessel it allegedly owned and operated before sending its captains out to sea, and in turn, to their deaths. This determination is included as part of judge Joaquin V.E. Manibusan, Jr.’s decision to deny a Dongwon-linked company, Majestic Blue Fisheries, LLC, its petition to limited its liability for the June 2010 sinking of the fishing vessel Majestic Blue and the deaths of the vessel’s captain and chief engineer. Read more here 20:54

BIG STORY: Dongwon’s environmental damages total at least $40m, allege US lawyers

The crews of vessels allegedly controlled by Dongwon Industries in the South Pacific threw 50 gallons of oil at a time into the sea, in addition to habitually using the ocean as a dumping ground for plastic and oil filled rags, according to court documents from the law firm Moore & Company. Such negligence was rampant during the vessels’ five years of fishing in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Pacific — a region that only company’s controlled by US citizens can have licences for — alleges Moore & Company, which filed an amendment claim against the company on Jan. 10. The story of Dongwon’s alleged illegal use of US fishing licenses – a scheme using US-based LLCs and the US citizenship status of the nieces of Dongwon chairman Jae-chul Kim – may be intriguing, but emails and voice mails cited in court documents paint an equally dramatic picture of environmental law violations. Read more@undercurrent 16:36

Dongwon Industries, the owners of StarKist Samoa wants to build a USD $34.3 Million tuna cannery, but not here

Dongwon Industries, the owners of StarKist Samoa wants to build a USD $34.3 Million una tuna cannery and loining plant in Doma, West Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. The official said the project will make use of the  Solomon Islands rich fisheries resources and it will benefit the people and the economy by providing more job opportunities, bring in foreign currency and improve the standard of living. [email protected]