NIFS announced that it released 5,000 juvenile fish of Korean spotted barbel (within 5cm), which is designated as the Natural Monument No. 259, into the main stream of Geumgang river in Chungcheongnam-do, on August 19. 

Korean spotted barbel is the Korean native freshwater fish inhabitating in the water stream between Geumgang river and Hangang river, where water is clean and there are lots of pebbles. Since 1999, the Inland Fisheries Research Institute of NIFS has carried out the research for conservation and restoration of Korean spotted barbel, which became extinct since the late 1970's. 

The president of NIFS said, "With the concerted efforts taken by researchers and private sectors over the past 20 years, we succeeded in restoring the natural monument. Going forward, NIFS will do its best to increase the population, as well as conservation of the species. NIFS also keeps doing the research on protection of inland fisheries resources to pass on the Korean native freshwater fish to the next generations."