Fishing household population decreases by an average of 4.2% annually... Aging with increase in those over 70 years old

Statistics Korea's "Structural Changes in Fisheries Based on Statistics" Released on the 11th
Aging Index of Fishing Households Increased from 172.7 to 675.1

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Sehee] While the fishing household population decreased last year, the number of fishing households with owners aged 70 and over increased.

According to the "Structural Changes in Fisheries Seen Through Statistics" released by Statistics Korea on the 11th, the fishing household population last year was 114,000, a decrease of 87.5% compared to 913,000 in 1970. It showed an average annual decrease of 4.2%.

The number of fishing households with owners aged 70 and over was 17,800 households, a 14.8% increase compared to 15,500 households in 2017. The age group 40-49 accounted for the largest share at 72.9%. This was followed by under 40 (64.5%), 50-59 (55.5%), 65-69 (27.2%), and 60-64 (25.0%) in order.

The aging index of fishing households increased from 172.7 in 2005 to 675.1 last year. The aging index is an indicator showing the relative size of the elderly population compared to the young population, calculated as the ratio of the population aged 65 and over to the population under 15 years old.

Among all coastal and offshore fishing vessels in Korea last year, offshore and coastal fisheries decreased by 49.4% and 40.3%, respectively, compared to 2000. Statistics Korea explained, "This appears to be due to the decrease in the fishing household population and the continuous reduction of fishing vessels."

The number of households returning to fishing increased mainly among single-person households. Compared to 2013, single-person households increased by 40.6%, two-person households by 67.0%, and households with four or more persons by 38.9%. On the other hand, three-person households decreased by 28.9%.

Meanwhile, due to the impact of climate change in the coastal and offshore waters, the catch volume of anchovies (218.5%), mackerel (165.8%), and small shrimp species (85.7%) increased significantly.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.