The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has achieved results in opening new fishing grounds in the Southern Ocean through its ocean diplomacy, following the adoption of proposed international standards.
The ministry said Wednesday that at the annual meeting of the "45th Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR)," held from Oct. 19 to 30 in Hobart, Australia, two proposals made by Korea were adopted as standards, and a new fishing ground in the Southern Ocean was opened based on scientific surveys conducted by the Korean side.
CCAMLR is an international organization established in 1982 to protect biological resources in Antarctic waters and ensure their sustainable use.
First, under the first standard adopted by CCAMLR, Patagonian toothfish caught using gillnets — which are banned in Antarctic waters because they can indiscriminately catch other species — will be prohibited from being sold on international markets starting in 2030, regardless of where they were caught.
Additionally, the use of fireworks and explosives by fishing vessels in Antarctic waters is prohibited unless for purposes such as safety distress signals, in order to protect Antarctic biodiversity and the environment.
Considering that CCAMLR adopts agenda items by unanimous vote and that only three out of 17 proposed items were adopted, the adoption of two proposals from Korea demonstrates the capacity and standing of Korea's ocean diplomacy within the international community regarding the Southern Ocean.
Furthermore, a new fishing ground was opened in "Subarea 88.3" (the Bellingshausen Sea west of the Antarctic Peninsula). Fishing in this subarea had been prohibited since 1998 due to a lack of scientific data on red snapper resources.
To this end, the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and domestic longline fishing industry operators have conducted joint surveys for 10 years since 2016. Based on these results, the way has been opened for Korean vessels to fully resume red snapper fishing in the relevant waters.
In addition, since last year, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official Kim Jung-rye has been elected as Vice-Chair of the CCAMLR General Assembly and Chair of the Krill Management Discussion Subgroup, while National Fisheries Research and Development Institute researcher Jeong Sang-deok has been elected as Vice-Chair of the Scientific Committee, each leading key discussions.
Minister Hwang Jong-woo said, "The Southern Ocean is a strategic hub where international attention is focused on climate change and fishery resources." He added, "This achievement is the fruit of 10 years of scientific surveys accumulated together by the government and the longline fishing industry. Going forward, we will take the lead in protecting Antarctic waters and utilizing them sustainably based on scientific evidence."
in ECONOMY
