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Memories of the Lost Sea, in Search of Saury Grass

  • Date

    2026.05.08.

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    21

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Memories of the Lost Sea,
in Search of Saury Grass
  • Broadcast of a 200 km exploration journey along the East Coast to find the lost marine protected species, Coccophora langsdorfii

  The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF; Minister Hwang Jong-woo) announced that the documentary “Saury Grass: Whispers of the Sea”—featuring the marine protected seaweed Coccophora langsdorfii—will air on MBC at 12:25 PM (KST) on Monday, April 27.

  Coccophora langsdorfii is a cold-water seaweed named for its scale-shaped leaves, which resemble those of a cedar tree. In the past, it was widely distributed along the East Coast, serving as a spawning ground and shelter for various marine organisms; however, its habitat has significantly decreased due to rising water temperatures caused by climate change. MOF has designated and managed Coccophora langsdorfii as a marine protected species since 2007.

  The documentary captures the journey to find the mysterious seaweed that has disappeared from the East Coast. It examines changes in the marine ecosystem caused by the climate crisis by tracking Coccophora langsdorfii along a 200 km coastline from Gopo Village in Samcheok City—the southernmost part of Gangwon Province—to the vicinity of the Unification Observatory in Goseong County, the northernmost border region.

  It also focuses on Korea's lost traditional fishing village culture that has faded over time. In the past, when Coccophora langsdorfii was abundant, it was used as bait to catch spawning saury; for this reason, it is also called “saury grass” in fishing villages in Gangwon Province.

  This approximately 45-minute documentary won the 17th Korea Broadcast Journalists Award and was praised for its tenacity in searching for a seaweed that had been forgotten for decades, as well as for its meticulous reporting. “I hope that this documentary sheds new light on the environmental and cultural value of Coccophora langsdorfii, which had been fading from memory,” said Lee Jun-ho, a reporter at MBC Gangwon-Yeongdong who produced the documentary.

  According to MOF's Director General of Marine Environment Policy, Hwang Jun-sunng, the documentary effectively conveys the changes in marine ecosystems caused by the climate crisis and the importance of protecting marine life. "The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will continue to make policy efforts to conserve marine protected species,” he added.
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