INFORMATION ON FISHERIES MANAGEMENT IN THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
November 2003 Fishery Sector Strategies The broad objective for marine capture fisheries of the Fishery
Sector Methods
A number of policies, strategies and action programmes have been adopted
by the government to facilitate structural adjustments in support of
its goals of improving the welfare of both fishers and consumers. Actions
include: (a) promoting a fishing fleet buy-back programme; (b) promoting
culture-based fisheries (e.g. aquaculture) and fisheries resource enhancement
efforts; (c) expanding the list of species within the Total Allowable
Catch (TAC) system; (d) preventing marine pollution; and (e) strengthening
law enforcement capacities and activities to control illegal fishing
activities. Fishery
Sector Institutions
The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MOMAF) is the executive agency responsible for planning and implementing fisheries policy and overall fishery management. MOMAF has branches concerned with the management of fisheries resources (research, management and monitoring and enforcement services), namely:
Of these branches, it is the Fisheries Resource Bureau that is responsible
committed for the general affairs of fisheries resources management.
The Fisheries Resource Bureau provides all main services involved in
the management and enforcement of fisheries policies, except for research
and development affairs. The government has also started a fishermen-oriented co-management system
for more effective implementation of responsible fisheries. Under this
system, a fisher’s organization, such as a fishery corporation or a
group of fishermen in a fishing village, has been set up by self-regulation
according to the fishery-related laws and regulations, and with the
endorsement of local government. In this way, a fishery is controlled.
The fishermen-oriented co-management system is designed to enhance the
sense of responsibility of the fishermen and to minimize illegal fishing. Following the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992, a Korea-China Fishery
Agreement was signed on General
Legal Framework
Laws, acts and regulations have been enacted to manage the fisheries resources
and other resources that may relate to or affect fishery management.
Some of these are listed and briefly described below. Fisheries
Act
The
Act establishes the institutions responsible for enhancing and protecting
fishery resources. It also strives for the development of fisheries
and the democratization of the fishing industry by increasing productivity
in fisheries through utilizing and managing waters in a comprehensive
way. Fishery
Resources Protection Act (Act No. 298, Dec. 12, 1953)
The Act regulates the exploitation of fishery resources through the provision
of requirements such as obtaining licenses. Framework
Act on Marine Development (Act No. 3983, Dec. 4, 1987)
The Act contributes to the development of the national economy and the
improvement of national welfare through providing direction for government
policy found necessary for the rational development, utilization and
preservation of the sea and marine resources. Act
on the Exercise of Sovereign Rights on Foreigners Fishing, etc., within
the Exclusive Economic Zone (Act No. 5152, Aug. 8, 1996)
This
Act contributes to the conservation, management, and utilization of
living marine resources. It also generally aims to provide for the exercise
of sovereign rights by the Republic of Korea in relation to fishing
activities (amongst other activities) conducted by foreigners in the
EEZ of the Republic of Korea, as governed by the relevant provisions
of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Inland
Waters Fisheries Development Act, 1975
The
Act promotes the comprehensive development of inland water fisheries
and also provides for the protection and cultivation of marine resources.
This legislation supports improved incomes for farmers and fishermen.
Inspection
of Fishery Products Act
The Act promotes the qualitative improvement and standardization of fishery
products through inspection. Wetland
Conservation Act 1999
The
Act conserves wetlands and their biological diversity by providing for
the efficient conservation and management of these areas. It also aims
to contribute to international cooperation by adopting the purpose of
the International Convention on Wetlands. Prevention
of Marine Pollution Act
This Act seeks to protect the health and property of people by preserving
the marine environment through the regulation of pollution from oil,
harmful liquid substances and wastes discharged into the sea from ships,
marine installations, etc., and the removal of marine pollutants. Marine
Transport Act
The
purpose of this Act is to contribute to the development of the national
economy and to provide for public welfare by maintaining order in maritime
transport, securing fair competition in the maritime industry and to
promote development of business in maritime transport. Sea
Traffic Safety Act (Act No. 3909, Dec. 31. 1986)
The
Act prescribes qualifications needed by individuals if they are to serve
onboard vessels as ‘ship’s personnel’, thereby promoting safe navigation.
This Act is also known as the Ship Personnel Act. Ship
Act
The
Act ensures proper operation of systems for maritime affairs and the
maintenance of maritime order. It also provides for matters necessary
for the enforcement of the 1969 International Convention on Tonnage
Measurement of Ships and other matters necessary for size measurement
of ships. Ship
Safety Act
The
Act requires that vessels maintain certain standards for seaworthiness.
It also provides regulations that require vessels be furnished with
certain facilities necessary for ensuring the security of human life
and property. Pilotage
Act
The Act promotes the navigational safety of ships and contributes to the
efficient operation of ports through the regulation of the licensing
of pilots and pilotage in a particular piloting area. Compensation
for Oil Pollution Damage Guarantee Act (Act No. 4532, Dec. 8, 1992)
The Act provides for compensation in the event of damage caused by oil
escaping or being discharged from a vessel. Public
Order in Open Ports Act
The Act maintains the safety and public order of shipping traffic within
the boundaries of an open port. Harbour
Act
The
Act contributes to the development of the national economy by promoting
the construction of harbours. It also aims to ensure the efficiency
in the management and operation of harbours by means of regulating the
designation, development, management and utilization of harbours. Harbour
Transports Business Act (Act No. 1404, Sep. 19, 1963)
The
Act establishes order concerning harbour transport and promotes public
welfare through the sound development of harbour transport business.
Marine
Accidents Inquiry Act (Act No. 2306, Jan. 22, 1971)
The
Act establishes Marine Accidents Inquiry Agencies with the authority
to identify causes of marine accidents and to sanction those responsible
for marine accidents. In general, it aims to prevent marine accidents.
Marine
Scientific Research Act (Act No. 4941, Jan. 5, 1995)
The Act prescribes the procedures necessary for conducting marine scientific
research by any foreign or international organization. It strives to
develop marine science and marine technology through the efficient management
and publication of research data. Seaman
Act
The Act sets conditions for maintaining order on a ship, to guarantee certain
working standards and conditions for seamen, to establish duties and
disciplines, education and navigational exercises to be undertaken by
seamen. Description
of Fishery Management Systems
The system of marine capture fisheries management in the The
fishery management system involves mainly input control and technical
measures. Input controls includes Limited Licenses (which restrict the
number of fishing units), and Gear and Vessel Restrictions (which restrict
the size and other dimensions of each fishing unit). Technical measures
include Size and Sex Selectivity measures and Time and Area Closures. The
management measures are based on the Fishery Act (amended in December
1995) together with many related acts and regulations, as well as on
the Resource Protection Decree. According to the Fishery Act, MOMAF
is largely responsible for fishing vessels in offshore and distant waters
and foreign-flagged vessels fishing within the Korean EEZ, while local
governments at province, city and district levels are mainly responsible
for fishing licenses of vessels in the coastal area. Fisheries resources
have been protected mainly through governing the mesh size of fishing
nets, delimiting fishing grounds, applying closed seasons, etc. In 2001,
TACs were set for 7 species after an experimental period in 1999–2000. Two
levels of government, namely the central authority (MOMAF) and local
governments at province, city and district level, are involved in fisheries
development and management. Laws relating to fisheries and fishery resource
protection, and legislation relating to the EEZ provide the legal framework
for the management of the fishery sector and protection of fishery resources.
During the past 50 years, fishery resources have been protected mainly
through regulations governing mesh size, fishing ground, fishing seasons,
and so on. Despite management efforts to control production methods
and inputs, the steady decline in fishery resources in coastal waters,
and particualrly economically important species such as the yellow croaker
and the hair-tail, demands much stronger management control of fisheries
resources than ever before. As implementation of Article 61 of the U.N.
Law of the Sea (LOSC) is inevitable, the government amended national
rules and regulations in order to facilitate the application of TAC
from 1997. To
this end, the 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). This law covers all regulations
relating to the monitoring and controlling of foreign fishing vessels,
special rules relating to keeping fishing orders, and supervision and
surveillance of foreign fishing vessels. The enforcement legislation
and regulations deal with: establishment of special zones where fishing
by foreign vessels is prohibited; assessment of collateral and methods
of payment; fishing permit and approval of experimental research, including
application procedures; and punishment for fishing vessels that violate
fishing rules and regulations. Performance
of the fishery sector has made impressive progress. Reported catches
from the coastal, offshore, distant waters and inland capture fisheries
were 1 847 409 tonne (valued at W 3 791 billion)
in 2000, and 1 997 126 t (W 3 721 billion) in 2001.
The main factor for increased capture production was the increase in
mackerels, anchovy and Alaska pollock. In particular, Alaska pollack
production in North Pacific Russian waters in 2001 reached approximately
199 123 t, up from 86 066 t in 2000. Production
from coastal and inshore fisheries was 1 252 098 t in
2001, an increase of 5.3% over 2000. Major species caught were hair-tail,
mackerel, anchovy, squid, horse mackerel and blue crab. In particular,
mackerel production increased by 40%, from 145 908 t in 2000
to 203 717 t in 2001, and anchovy catches grew by 36%, from
201 192 t in 2000 to 273 927 t in 2001. Production
from distant water fisheries accounted for 739 057 t in 2001,
an increase of 87 790 t over 2000. The increase in production
was due to a drastic increase in the Alaskan pollack catch, at 113 057 t.
The major species in distant water fisheries were saury, tuna, Alaska
pollack, croaker and squid. The
fisher population has continuously dropped since 1982. The number of
fisheries households has also dropped, from 97 754 in 1999 to 93 533
in 2002. In 2002, 60.2% of fishery households had powered fishing boats
and 39.6% had non-powered boats. Households active in the aquaculture
sector also decreased slightly, from 32 360 in 1999 to 31 910
in 2002. The
number of fishing vessels decreased by 955, from 95 890 vessels
(923 099 GRT) in 2000 to 94 935 vessels (884 853 GRT)
in 2001. The decrease in number and gross tonnage was one result of
the government’s fleet reduction programme, i.e the buy-back programme. Investment
and Subsidies in Fisheries
The Korean government established 10 major investment policy sectors, with
a total investment budget in 1995 of US$ 815 million (rate of exchange:
US$ 1 = W 771.2), distributed as shown in Table 1. Table
1. Major sectors in the Government of the
Fisheries management in
·
research and education;
·
fisheries infrastructure and environment enhancement;
·
fisheries resources enhancement;
·
aquaculture development;
·
renewal and modernization of vessels;
·
support for crew insurance;
·
payment for fishing fleet reduction; and
·
other cost reducing transfers. The government support for such fishery management activities are shown
in Table 2. Table
2. Government support to fishery management activities,
1999–2001
Total transfers in 2001 amounted to W 550 billion, an increase of W 192.7
billion over 2000; a major element in that increase was the increased
payments associated with the fishing fleet reduction programme. Most
of the transfers in 2001 were used for fishing fleet reduction (W 260.2
billion, 47.3%), infrastructure and environment enhancement (W 177.2
billion, 32%), and resource enhancement (W 31.0 billion, 5.6%). Revenues from fisheries totalled W 4 458.5
billion in 2000 and W 4 511.9 billion in 2001. The total government
financial transfer constituted around 8.0% of the total revenue from
fisheries landings in 2000, increasing to12.2% in 2001. ProjectED
Supply and Demand (up to 2005)
A
continuing rise in personal income is expected to boost per capita demand
for fresh fish further, to 60 kg/yr in 2010, when the total annual
demand for food fish could be as high as 3 million tonne. Taking into
account non-food needs and the country’s increasing export trade in
fish and fishery products, a total supply requirement of around 3.9
million tonne can be envisaged. The Republic of Korea is currently liberalizing
its trade regulations on fishery products, which could result in significant
increase in imports in the future. To enhance catches from coastal and
offshore waters, the government has given priority to constructing artificial
reefs and releasing fish fingerlings to increase or replenish fish stocks.
An anticipated increase in aquaculture production could also help meet
the national demand for fish.
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