Fishing industry in South Korea

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

South Korea’s fishing industry is a major part of the country’s economy, relying on seas around its coast and nearby waters shared with China and Japan. Its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covers about 300,851 square kilometers, while the land area is 99,678 square kilometers. About 5,241 square kilometers are designated as marine protected areas. In 2015, the industry employed about 144,350 people, and the fishing fleet consisted of roughly 71,290 vessels (in 2013). Koreans eat a lot of fish—about 53.5 kilograms per person each year in 2013. In 2015, Korea exported about US$1.5 billion of fish and imported about US$4.3 billion.

Background and structure
- Until the 1960s, farming and fishing were the main economic activities. Korea’s fisheries depend on coastal waters and seas shared with nearby countries.
- Korea’s coastline touches the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea, and the Sea of Japan, giving access to many fish and crustaceans.
- After the EEZ was declared and settled in 1996, Korea developed coastal and offshore fishing with more responsible fishing inside these zones.
- There are four main fisheries areas: domestic waters (coastal and offshore), distant-water fisheries, aquaculture, and inland fisheries.
- A World Wide Fund for Nature study in 2013 found total production of about 3.14 million tonnes across these four areas, worth around US$6.46 billion.

Growth, trade, and government role
- The fishing sector grew quickly alongside Korea’s overall economic growth from the 1970s to the 2000s. In the 1960s-70s, fishery products made up a large share of exports and helped GDP growth.
- By 2010, Korea was the 12th-largest fish producer in the world, accounting for about 2.1% of global production (around 3.1 million tonnes). In 2008, fishing made up roughly 0.2% of the national GDP.
- Since 1978, Korea gradually eased some import barriers to protect its fishing industry, while still screening imports through the National Fisheries Administration. Some products require government approval to enter Korea, while others are approved automatically.
- Korea and the United States signed a free trade agreement on March 15, 2012. By 2016, fishery product trade between the two countries had grown, rising from about US$336 million in 2011 to roughly US$454 million in 2014.
- Government subsidies have helped the industry, with programs in the 1990s supporting research, education, aquaculture development, and crew insurance. In 1995, the government launched a broad investment program worth about US$815 million to support various fisheries sectors.

People and labor
- Employment in capture fisheries was high in 1980 (about 298,000 people), with many coastal and marine workers and substantial female participation in some periods.
- By 2014, about 106,000 people were employed in capture fisheries.
- Recreational fishing is popular too and is regulated by laws dating back to 1908 and a 1984 act on recreational fishing boats. In 1984, there were about 3.25 million recreational fishers (mostly inland), and by 2008 that number had grown to about 6.5 million (roughly split among inland, marine, and both).

Consumption and trends
- Korea has one of the world’s highest levels of seafood consumption. Since 1980, per-person daily fish consumption has risen steadily.
- Traditional favorites include yellow croaker, largehead hairtail, and flatfish, but since the 2000s people have eaten more high-value species such as king crab, salmon, and shrimp.
- Food safety and origin matter to consumers. Eco-labeled seafood can be popular, and price is a major factor for many buyers. Seasonal patterns also affect what people eat, with certain fish more common in winter and others in summer.

Challenges and enforcement
- Overfishing is a concern in the seas around Korea, and there have been tensions with Chinese vessels over fishing rights. A 2001 agreement aimed to curb illegal fishing, but enforcement difficulties remained, and numerous vessels were seized after the deal.
- There have been high-profile incidents, including deaths in clashes between the Korean coast guard and foreign fishing vessels, which raised questions about enforcement.
- Korea continues to work on disputes with China under UNCLOS (the Law of the Sea) and collaborates with several government bodies to manage fishing, share information, and rebuild fish stocks. Efforts include a 2005 Fish Stock Rebuilding Plan and programs to reduce unproductive or unsafe fleets, such as scrapping vessels and reducing unwanted fishing. Since 1994, programs have targeted fleet reduction to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact, with significant spending on scrapping old vessels and other measures.
- In 2019, the United States announced an environmental review to help deter illegal fishing and better monitor Korean and U.S. waters, while Korea continues to reform and coordinate its agencies to manage fisheries more effectively.

Organizations involved
- The industry is supported and regulated by Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the East Sea Fisheries Management Service, and the National Fisheries Quality Management Service, among others. These groups work to improve coordination, protect fish stocks, and ensure safe, sustainable fishing practices.