Revitalizing the Stagnant Inland Water Industry into a High Value-Added Industry

 

- Policy Operation Direction to Revitalize the Inland Water Industry with the goal of 49,200 tons of inland fishery production by 2028

 

 The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF; Minister Kang-do hyung) announced that it established the Policy Operation Direction to Revitalize the Inland Water Industry to increase the competitiveness of the inland water industry.

 

 Having begun in 1929 with the distribution of carp seedlings at the Jinhae Fish Farm, inland aquaculture produced 50,000 tons of aquatic products in the 1980s, but production has decreased since the mid-1990s. Inland aquaculture in Korea remains at around 1% of the total aquatic product production.

 

 Inland aquaculture using freshwater is more adaptable to cutting-edge technology than seawater aquaculture, and the need to foster the inland aquaculture industry is being raised as catches from the sea are decreasing due to climate change and other factors.

 

 Accordingly, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has prepared this measure with the intention of producing 9,200 tons of inland aquatic products by 2028.

 

 Strategy 1: Support Tailored to Each Local Inland Water Industry

 

 First, the ministry will promote the K-River Village Project to converge the inland water industry with retail/processing industries and leisure/tourism industries to foster it into the 6th industry that reflects regional characteristics. To this end, the ministry will conduct a basic survey on fishery production, accessibility, and tourism characteristics centered on the five major rivers including Hangang River and Geumgang River in 2025 and create three K-River Villages by 2028. Moreover, it will provide 7 ~ 9 weeks' aquaculture education/training for young people who wish to return to the fishing village to engage in inland water aquaculture and create a youth aquaculture farm for rental.

 

 Strategy 2: Transition to Advanced, High Value-Added Aquaculture

 

 The construction of phase 1 smart aquaculture farms capable of remote monitoring and control based on ICT will be completed in Goesan, Chungcheongbuk-do and Hwasun, Jeollanam-do by the end of 2024, and phase 2 smart aquaculture farms capable of autonomous and complex control of water temperature, water quality, etc. will be subsequently constructed.

 

 Moreover, the ministry will develop new high value-added aquaculture products such as sea squirts and freshwater shrimp including technology for the mass production of artificial seeds for the domestic aquaculture of eels, of which approximately 80% of fry depend on imports. It will also develop technology to breed high value-added varieties such as eels and herbal plants to foster the aquaponics industry. Through this, the ministry aims to implement the eco-friendly transition of inland aquaculture and convergence of agriculture and fisheries industries.

 

 Strategy 3: Expanding Consumer Markets and Improving Production Management

 

 To ensure the smooth supply of inland aquatic products, distribution facilities such as the Inland Aquatic Product Distribution and Sales Center in Yongin, Gyeonggi-do scheduled for completion in 2025 will be expanded to the Yeongnam and Honam regions. In addition, convenience foods using catfish and eel will be developed, and research on the health benefits of marsh snails and other ingredients will be conducted to promote consumption. Support will be provided to address non-tariff barriers in export countries, such as sanitation management standards to develop overseas markets. Furthermore, to manage the supply and demand of inland aquatic products, items subject to supply and demand observation will be expanded to include catfish and mudfish in addition to the existing trout and eel by 2026.

 

 Stricter monitoring of origin labeling will be enforced for imported mudfish and eel to ensure a safe distribution system for inland aquatic products, and domestic eel and trout farms will be supported in registering for HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points).

 

 Strategy 4: Establishing a foundation for sustainable inland fisheries

 

 To stabilize the management conditions of inland fishers, the ministry is considering adding apple snails to the list of disaster insurance-covered items currently applied to four species including catfish and leather carp and improve the system to allow small-scale open-field inland fishers to receive direct payments.

 

 To promote the inland aquaculture industry, the government will form a policy consultative body consisting of local governments and inland fishers to collect opinions from the field and resolve pressing issues.

 

 “Inland aquaculture has played a significant role in Korea’s rise as a leading fishing nation, and the recent emergence of cutting-edge technologies presents an opportunity for the inland water industry to make a comeback. The government will continue to support the fostering of inland waters aquaculture as a high value-added industry by upgrading it and to help transform the inland sector into a sixth industry that revitalizes regional economies through connections with leisure and tourism,” Minister Kang Do-hyung said.