(Background of Promotion) Domestic female snow crabs are illegal catches under current law, with their capture, possession, distribution, processing, storage, or sale prohibited.

• Fisheries Resources Management Act, Article 14 and Article 17
  
  

(Changing Circumstances) Recently, Japanese female snow crabs, which are priced lower, have been imported and sold in the domestic market. As a result, fishermen who catch and sell male snow crabs are complaining about the adverse impact, and the sale and consumption of female snow crabs, which is illegal, is also affecting public trust.

• Japanese snow crab import records: 0 tons (2023) ⇒ 34 tons (as of November 2024, all female snow crabs)
  ** Gyeongbuk fishermen express concerns over the impact of importing and distributing Japanese female snow crabs (Yonhap News, December 11)
  
  

(Need for Government Intervention) There are concerns that, due to the import and sale of Japanese female snow crabs, domestic female snow crabs, which have been illegally sold, could be mixed with the imported ones and sold. However, since snow crabs are not included in the list of imported seafood items subject to traceability requirements, it is difficult to manage.

• According to the origin labeling law, labeling domestic products as Japanese products constitutes false labeling (punishable by up to 7 years in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won)
  
  

(Difficulty in Identifying Species) The Japanese female snow crab (C. bairdi) currently being imported and the domestic female snow crab (Copilio) are different species, but they are difficult to distinguish by appearance. Moreover, even the Japanese variety could be the same species as the domestic one.

(Need for Traceability Management) In order to prevent the illegal sale of domestic and imported female snow crabs being mixed together, there is a need for management and inspection of the import and distribution history of female snow crabs.