Saving Fishermen and Stabilizing the Supply of Fishery Products... Establishing a Comprehensive Plan to Respond to Climate Change

 

-Reorganization of the fishing industry system centered on catch through comprehensive expansion of the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) scheme
- Support for free entry into and retirement from fishing through public rental of fishing boats and aquaculture
- Stable supply of fishery products by establishing a dual supply and demand management system by private and public sectors

 

 In collaboration with related government agencies, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF, Minister Kang Do-hyung) has prepared the Comprehensive Plan for Climate Change Response by the Fisheries and Aquaculture Sectors to address the damage caused by climate change to these industries and implement sustainable practices. This plan was announced at the Cabinet Ministers' Meeting on National Policy Issues on Thursday, December 5.

 

 The surface water temperature of Korea's coastal waters has risen by approximately 1.44℃ over the past 56 years, and this trend is expected to continue. A preemptive, immediate response is urgently needed to address the impact of rapid climate change on fisheries and aquaculture environment.

 

 Accordingly, MOF formed a task force to respond to climate change in the fisheries sector in September of this year, and it has been preparing the Comprehensive Plan for Climate Change Response by the Fisheries and Aquaculture Sectors. Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Kang Do-hyung personally hosted meetings attended by professors, researchers, and other experts from various fields as well as meetings attended by local governments, fishermen, and other stakeholders to hear diverse opinions on climate change and discover differentiated policy ideas and attended a National Assembly seminar to collect public opinions.

 

 This measure aims to discover new policy tools to minimize damage to fishermen due to climate change, improve the constitution of the fisheries and aquaculture industries to adapt to climate change, and provide a stable supply of safe fishery products to alleviate public concerns over rising fishery product prices.

 

 The Comprehensive Plan for Climate Change Response by the Fisheries and Aquaculture Sectors is the first step in a policy to reduce fishermen's damage caused by climate change and improve the fishing industry. Starting next year, specific measures for each fish species and region will be prepared.

 

 Under the vision of “Building a production and supply system for fisheries and aquaculture that is resilient to climate change,” this measure presents three strategies with the goals of ▲maintaining fishery product production at 3.7 million tons, ▲generating annual income of 65 million won for fishermen, and ▲maintaining the consumer price index for fishery product price management items at 2% by 2030.

 

  <Strategy ➀ > Flexibility of Fisheries and Aquaculture Production Systems and Institutions

 

 

 Old systems and institutions will be upgraded to reflect changes in fish species and fishing grounds. To manage fishery resources sustainably, the TAC system will be fully introduced to all fishing vessels by 2028; the Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) system that allows quotas to be traded within the allowable catch will be gradually introduced as well. Meanwhile, according to the Innovation Roadmap, unreasonable regulations on existing fishing periods and methods will improve as the TAC expands.

 

 

 Moreover, the strategy will support the transfer of fishing licenses and permits to other regions or changes in industry for fishermen whose fishing volume is directly affected by climate change. In addition, a bycatch management system will be introduced to recycle fish discarded at sea and use the resulting profits to support fishermen.

 

 The functions and roles of the Fisheries Coordination Committee will be reinforced to resolve conflicts between fishermen arising from applying the improved system to the fishing industry and establish a fisheries management system suitable for each region's characteristics. To this end, the Committee will transform itself from the current policy review body into a decision-making body, and its roles will be expanded to include dispute resolution, TAC distribution, and fishing and fishery resource management tailored to regional characteristics.

 

 

 Aquaculture farms will be relocated to increase the aquaculture industry’s adaptability to climate change. Regions where climate disasters frequently occur are designated as the Sea to Restore from Climate Change to adjust the amount of fish stocked and facilities to match the fishing grounds' capacity and support species conversion and transfer of licensed areas. Moreover, the strategy will introduce a wide-area license transfer system that crosses city, county, and district boundaries to help relocate aquaculture farms to better locations for aquaculture.

 

 In addition, management of the entire aquaculture cycle from breeding to shipping will be strengthened to reduce damage to aquaculture due to changes in water temperature. The ability to respond to climate change will increase by developing and distributing varieties that are more resistant to changes in water temperature, introducing intermediate breeding farms, developing and distributing smart aquaculture, distributing equipment to prepare for high water temperatures, and implementing emergency releases and early shipments.

 

<Strategy ➁Creating a Stable Business Environment> 

 

 

 The strategy will build a strong management safety net to allow fishermen to engage in their business with peace of mind. The fishing industry plans to establish additional financial support measures including management stabilization funds, interest reduction on policy funds, and deferral of repayment to prevent unexpected management deterioration of fishermen such as decrease in catch due to climate change, and identify new guaranteed insurance policies that can cover basic fishing expenses. The aquaculture industry will support management recovery by expanding and reorganizing disaster insurance and disaster recovery funds and introducing new policy funds.

 

 It also provides new income-generating opportunities for fishermen. It will operate the blue carbon certification of seaweeds such as kelp and sea mustard and Blue Credit (tentative name), a carbon absorption trading system. It will also relax the area restrictions on fixed net cage facilities so that small bluefin tuna caught in fixed nets (trap-type fishing gear) can be raised and sold.

 

 

 For fishing households facing difficulties in their business environment due to climate change, reductions will primarily be made on high-intensity fishing vessels that catch species with reduced production. Moreover, the strategy will support business recovery by utilizing the public rental system for fishing vessels that are either depleted or idle. A fisheries rental system will be introduced to expand opportunities for older fishermen to end their business and for young people and returning fishermen to enter the industry.

 

<Strategy ➂ Strengthening the Stable Supply of Safe Seafood Products> 

 

 

 An econometric model will be introduced to forecast changes in supply and demand for seafood products, and the price management items will be expanded from the current six species (mackerel, hairtail, anchovy, dried anchovy, pollack, and squid) to include fish species affected by climate change. Moreover, a two-track management system will be introduced to facilitate public and private sectors’ working together for purchase and release based on supply and demand forecasts. In addition to supply and demand forecasting, the strategy will strengthen the prediction and analysis of changes in fishery resources through satellite and sensor-based marine information collection and real-time fishing monitoring and produce and distribute fishing ground and aquaculture maps based on the collected data.

 

 It will also develop overseas fishing grounds and aquaculture farms to strengthen the global supply chain and support facilities such as freezing and refrigeration facilities and fishing ports to vitalize the deep-sea industry. Additionally, efforts will be made to address the concentration of export markets through an overseas market monitoring program while collaborating with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to expand sanitary agreements with importing countries to strengthen the safe seafood supply.

 

 MOF plans to establish a strategic support system for responding to climate change in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, centered on the Climate and Environment International Strategy Team. To this end, it will establish a public-private consultative body involving fishermen, local governments, relevant ministries, and experts and consider establishing a Center for Climate Change Response in the Marine and Fisheries Sectors to provide mid- to long-term policy support.

 

 “Based on the Comprehensive Plan for Climate Change Response in the Fisheries and Aquaculture Sectors, we will formulate and implement more detailed measures tailored to specific species and regional characteristics,” Minister Kang said.