Under the Fishery Act of 1997, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
(MOMAF) is responsible for overseeing offshore and deep-sea fishing. Foreign-flagged
vessels that are fishing within the Korean Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) also
come under the control of the ministry. Local governments at the province, city,
and district levels are mainly responsible for the fishing licences of vessels
in the coastal areas. Laws relating to fisheries, fishery resource protection,
and the EEZ provide the legal frameworks for the management of the fisheries
sector.
The steady depletion of fishery resources in the coastal waters and especially
some economically important species demand stronger management measures. As
the implementation of Article 61 of the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS) was inevitable, a TAC (total allowable catch) system was introduced
in the Fishery Act. The TAC system includes eight species such as mackerel,
sardine, and jack mackerel in large seine fisheries, and large red crab in the
offshore fish pot fisheries, etc. Other major management instruments in coastal
and offshore areas include: maximum number to be licenced, minimum mesh size
of net, engine power by fishing grounds, fishing seasons and length of fish.
The maximum permissible TAC is set for intensive fisheries in order to offer
the greatest protection of the fishery resources.
To this end, the Korean government has declared sovereign rights in the Korean
EEZ (announced in August 1996), the enforcement of Korean sovereign rights (announced
in August 1997) and rules for the enforcement of Korean sovereign rights (announced
in January 1998). The fishery Act covers all regulations relating to the monitoring
and controlling of foreign fishing vessels, special rules relating to keeping
fishing orders, and supervision/ surveillance of foreign fishing vessels.
Fishery Resources
Employment
The population involved in fisheries has continuously dropped since 1982. The
main factors were movement to cities and transfer to other industries. The total
number of households that were involved in marine fisheries was about 82,000
in 2000, a decrease of 16.3% since 1999. About 140,000 people were employed
in the fisheries sector including the processing business. Women employed in
the fisheries sector constituted 45.5% of the total.
Fleet Structure
The number of fishing vessels in 2000 was 95,890, slightly less than in 1999.
However, total tonnage of fishing vessels decreased 6.9% compared to 1999. Except
for vessels of 1~50 G/T, all categories of fishing boats decreased since 1999.
In particular, fishing vessels from 50 to 100 G/T showed the most significant
decrease due to the buy-back vessel program.
Landings
The total fisheries production in 2000 was 2,514 thousand M/T, which was worth
US$3.6 billion. The quantity and value of landed fish were slightly less than
the previous year. The production in coastal and offshore waters was stagnant
due mainly to depleted fishery resources and the reduction of fishing grounds
caused by newly established Korea-Japan and Korea-China Fishery Agreements.
Important species for coastal fisheries are: Alaskan pollack, hairtail, yellow
croaker, mackerel, anchovy, sardine, sole, leatherfish, squid, and cuttlefish.
Of these, production of pollack, mackerel, squid, hairtail and anchovy declined
11% compared to the 1999 level. In distant water fishing, production in 2000
amounted to 651 thousand M/T. The production decreased by 17.6% from 1999. Due
to the difficulties involved in distant-water fishing, production of pollack
and squid in 2000 has shown a 40% decrease from the year before.
Structural Adjustment
Structural adjustments of the fisheries industry were made through the passage
of a law in 1990. Also, a special law was enacted in 1999 to assist fisherman
affected by international fishery treaties, as well as to promote fisheries
in general. In accordance with this law, the Korean government decided to buy
668 vessels from those who gave up fishing operations as a result of the Korean-Japan
Fishery Agreement in 1999. The total number of fishing vessels removed in 2000
was 167 (134 vessels for coastal fishing and 33 vessels for offshore fishing).
Capacity reduction was aimed mainly at those nonviable fishing industries which
lost fishing grounds resulting from the declaration of the EEZ by other coastal
countries. Eight fishing industries (e.g., large purse seiners, offshore stow
net, offshore angling, trawls, etc.) are listed in this program.
Status of Fish Stocks
Fishery resources in the waters around the Korean Peninsula have been over exploited,
particularly in commercially important species such as hairtail, redlip croaker
and Alaskan pollock. In terms of catch volume, there has been a downward trend
of coastal fishery resources. CPUE (catch per unit effort, G/T) ranged from
2.99-3.06 in recent years. Also, the ratio of young fish in the catch shows
an upward trend, thus suggesting a serious depletion of resources.
Bilateral Agreements and Arrangements
The East Sea, Yellow Sea and East China Sea are known to be very productive
fishing areas. However, management of resources in these areas has been complicated
due to territorial claims made by all three countries. After Korea, Japan, and
China ratified the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in 1996,
the first two states proclaimed the EEZ in the same year and the last one did
two years later. This ushered in a new fisheries order in the surrounding seas.
To meet the new situation arising from overlapping EEZs and out of the need
to adjust the existing fisheries order to the EEZ regime under the U.N. Convention,
the government has concluded the Japan-China Fisheries Agreement (1997), the
Korea-Japan Fisheries Agreement (1998), and the Korea-China Fisheries Agreement
(1998), which provide a legal framework for a new fisheries regime. But these
bilateral agreements have not resolved complex legal issues relating to the
boundary delimitation of EEZs. There were tough negotiations over the issues
of straight baselines and territorial rights of islands such as Dokdo in the
East Sea. Nonetheless, the three states have managed to agree on the provisional
arrangements for a new fisheries order in the Northeast Asian seas. In addition,
Korea is in the process of negotiating for bilateral fishery agreements with
Peru, Guinea and the Seychelles.
Mariculture
As of Jan. 28, 2000, the Farming Ground Management Act was newly enacted to
build a sustainable mariculture fishery and to improve the productivity of fishing
grounds. The Act introduces a system of sabbatical years for mariculture grounds
for efficiency, inspection and standardization of fishing grounds environment,
etc. Also, to inspect the environmental impact on aquaculture fishing grounds
and to estimate the environmental capacity for sustainable fisheries, tests
are conducted on water quality, sediments, and distribution of benthos. Major
species are bastard, jacopever, large shrimp, oyster, short neck clam, arkshell,
and mussel. Production by mariculture decreased to 653 thousand M/T in 2000,
down from 765 thousand M/T in 1999. Out of the total mariculture volume in 2000,
fish, shellfish, seaweed and others accounted for 4.0%, 34.0%, 57.3% and 4.6%,
respectively. Their value reached US$560 million, a significant decrease from
US$690 million in 2000. In spite of the decrease in production volume, sea food
safety has become one of major issues due to the deteriorating environmental
conditions of aquaculture fishing grounds. However, some species such as flat
fishes are over supplied in the market. The benefits of the coastal mariculture
maintenance programs were clearly demonstrated by the regeneration of aquatic
microorganisms and increased production per unit area as well as improved quality
of products.
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Distribution and Safety
Total consumption of fishery products in 2000 stood at 4,516 thousand M/T, a
decrease of 46,000M/T from 1999. While domestic production declines, imports
are increasing. Planned production of fish and fisheries products are difficult
and therefore market prices are unstable. The government has established the
Price Stabilization Fund which covers 10 items, including dry seaweed, frozen
squid and frozen hairtail.
To improve fishery marketing, the consignment system has been expanded at landing
sites, and distribution capacity in large consumption areas upgraded. To strengthen
distribution and handling capacity at consumption sites and to promote direct
shipping to consumers by fishermen's cooperatives, five direct-sale market facilities
have been established at large urban areas.
To enhance the safety of fishery products to international standards, the government
has revised its enforcement regulations for seafood inspection (August 1997).
The Food Sanitation and Safety Act regulates the labelling of fishery products
with regard to expire dates, chemical and nutritional composition, etc. Furthermore,
almost all fishery products traded in and imported to Korean markets should
have their origin displayed on the label. The government also inspects fishery
product samples to check whether they contain bacteria, anti-biotics or, heavy
metals, and other health hazards. Also, the Hazard Analysis Critical Point (HACCP)
system was introduced in 2001.
Market and Trade
The pattern of seafood consumption, influenced by increasing disposable income
and changes in eating habits, showed that consumers were increasingly concerned
about food safety and nutritional values. Competitive market conditions has
also influenced consumers to be more selective and cautious when it comes to
seafood safety.
Korea exported US$1,505 million worth of fish and fish products in 2000, a decrease
of 1.05% from 1999. During the same period, Korea imported US$1,411 million,
an increase of 20%. Major exporting countries are China, Russia, Japan, and
the United States, which supply about 70% of Korea's total fisheries products
imports. Korea's major export species are tuna, fish cake, squid and arkshell
while the main import products are Alaskan pollack, shrimp, seasoned squid,
yellow croaker and hairtail.
Korea lifted import limitation on 31 items on July 1, 1997. Thus, Korea has
opened its market for all 390 items specified in the guideline of the HSK system.
At the same time, Korea has relaxed regulations on export restrictions and abolished
the export promotion system applied to fresh and frozen sole, eel and several
other kinds of fish.
Outlook
The government is in the process of establishing a Special Act for Culture-based
Fisheries in order to respond to the contraction of coastal fishing grounds
following the declaration of EEZs by Japan and China, as well as to meet increasing
future demand for fishery products. Also, the TAC system may be expanded to
include other species. To protect consumers, the Korean government will put
emphasis on the quality of fishery products by reinforcing rules and regulations
relating to seafood sanitation, and devise a better system to eliminate redundant
phases in fishery markets.
The fisheries sector is currently facing numerous challenges due to depleted
resources, environmental deterioration, the aging of vessels, worsening international
fishing environment, and fragile market structure.
In order to overcome these difficulties, the Korean fishery sector will require
structural readjustments. Most importantly, the management of coastal fishery
resources, which are the backbone of the fishery sector, demands a more comprehensive
system than what is in place today. Fishery resources in Asia have migratory
characteristics which means that the Yellow Sea, the East Sea, and the East
China Sea are all ecologically tied. Thus, conservation policies and goals cannot
be implemented in just one area.
Korea has attempted, through its National Fisheries Resource and Development
Institute, to provide an improved red tide warning system, better stock assessment
techniques for TAC, and more efficient multispecies management measures. It
has also sought to establish an international fishery resource management body
to oversee the East Asian waters.
Maritime Environment
Muddy Shorelands of Korea
The coastline of Korea extends 2,400km or 24.9km for every 1,000 square kilometers
of land, showing that Korea has relatively favorable maritime conditions. As
many estuaries are located along the three coasts, large muddy shorelands have
been formed. In particular, extensive muddy shorelands exist along the west
coast thanks to a high tidal difference.
The muddy shorelands of Korea total 239,000 ha, of which 198,000 ha or 83 percent
of the total are located along the west coast. The Gyeonggi-do area, including
Incheon, boasts about 35 percent of the total acreage of muddy shorelands. As
they are within easy access from Seoul demand for their reclamation is expected
to surge in the future.
Economic Value of Muddy Shorelands
Muddy shorelands are significant economic, environmental and recreational resources
as they provide not only good ground for fishing, but also perform the role
of filtering pollutants.
A recent survey of fishery production in the four muddy shore areas of Hongbo,
Gunjang, Daebudo and Yeongjongdo districts based on licensed fisheries showed
that Yeongjongdo had the highest productivity, with 9,540,000 won per hectare.
The average productivity in the four districts stood at 9,030,000 won.
As for the value of muddy shore areas as fish haunts, the Yeongjongdo district
topped the list with 7,780,000 won per hectare.
The value of the pollutants filtration function of the four districts is estimated
at 3,840,000 won per hectare by comparing with average sewage treatment expenses.
The value of the recreational function of muddy shorelands amounted to 400,000
won per hectare. Therefore, the economic gain coming from the preservation of
muddy shorelands is estimated at about 20,140,000 won per hectare.
Maritime environments affect not only commercial fisheries but also biological
diversity. Thus, the benefits obtainable from muddy shorelands are significantly
linked to the well-being of the public. The value of their functions is expected
to grow in the days to come.
