Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries: "We Will Grow the Marine and Fisheries New Industry to 11 Trillion Won by 2030"

Announcement of the '3rd Basic Plan for Marine and Fisheries Development (2021~2030)' at the State Council Meeting

Applying IoT Technology to Marine Fisheries Workplaces and Equipment
Establishing Transparent Seafood Quality Management and Distribution Systems such as Production Base Distribution Centers
Strengthening Social Safety Nets in Fishing Villages through Public Interest Direct Payment Systems
Promoting Eco-friendly Vessel Distribution and Developing Carbon Reduction Eco-friendly Port Technologies

Moon Sung-hyuk, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries (file photo)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Ju Sang-don] The government announced a blueprint to grow the new industry market size, including the marine bioindustry and marine energy and resource industries, to 11.3 trillion KRW by 2030, alongside the digital transformation of the marine fisheries sector.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced on the 12th that the "3rd Basic Plan for Marine Fisheries Development (2021-2030)" containing these details was reviewed and approved at the Cabinet meeting held that day.

Jointly established by 15 related ministries, the Basic Plan for Marine Fisheries Development is the highest-level national plan in the marine fisheries sector that forecasts policy environment changes and marine fisheries policy demands over the next 10 years and sets the basic policy directions.

The 3rd Basic Plan set three main goals under the vision of "An Era of Transition, a Sea of Life, a Prosperous Future": ▲ A safe and happy inclusive sea ▲ A sea of growth led by digitalization and innovation ▲ A sea of coexistence embracing generations and the world.

First, to enhance safety in marine fisheries, big data and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies will be applied to marine fisheries workplaces and equipment to prevent safety accidents. Safety management for vessels and leisure equipment and international infectious disease quarantine systems will be strengthened to create a sea where all citizens can work and enjoy with peace of mind.

Efforts will be made to strengthen the clean production base of aquaculture seafood through projects such as clean fishing ground regeneration and to establish transparent seafood quality management and distribution systems such as production base distribution centers to provide fresh seafood that consumers can trust. Additionally, data-based prediction and response capabilities for natural disasters such as typhoons and coastal erosion will be enhanced to create safe coasts free from disaster concerns.

Development of fishing villages and coastal areas where people want to stay will also be promoted. The public interest direct payment system, which currently operates in disadvantaged areas, will be expanded to include management transfer, fishery resource protection, and support for eco-friendly seafood production, thereby strengthening the social safety net in fishing villages. Social infrastructure will be expanded through fishing village and fishing port regeneration and improvement of labor conditions for workers to transform fishing villages and coastal areas facing extinction risks into thriving communities.

Connectivity between coastal passenger ships, which serve as public transportation, and land transportation will be improved. Medical, welfare, and travel services for island regions will be enhanced, and neglected or underused old coastal and port spaces will be reinvented to become convenient and attractive islands and coasts that coexist with local communities.

For the digital transformation of marine fisheries, a blueprint was presented to lead the global market for autonomous vessels by intelligentizing maritime transport systems such as fully unmanned autonomous vessels, Korean-style smart ports, and smart joint logistics centers. The container handling time for 25,000 TEU vessels will be reduced from 40 hours in 2020 to 24 hours in 2030, improving efficiency and safety in shipping port logistics processes.

Furthermore, the digitalization of fisheries will be advanced by smart fish farms, smart processing plants, and AI observers, improving the industry's structure. Non-face-to-face and online seafood transactions will be activated to promote seafood consumption. A data ecosystem will be built, and digital business will be revitalized to create a data economy where high value-added data is actively traded.

Qualitative advancement of marine fisheries will also be pursued. Alongside digital transformation, new industries such as marine bioindustry and marine energy and resource industries will be fostered to improve the marine fisheries structure centered on shipping and ports. Continuous port expansion to respond to vessel upsizing and support for the management stability of national shipping companies will establish a win-win cooperation system to promote innovative growth of traditional core industries. Additionally, data-based market risk management and forecasting will be strengthened to establish a system that predicts and responds to crises in marine fisheries in advance.

Demand-driven research and development (R&D) and stepwise, customized support for small and medium-sized and venture companies will be provided. A venture fund will be newly established, and the industrial base that nourishes marine fisheries will be continuously expanded through fostering convergent smart talents and strengthening research institution capabilities.

From the perspective of environmentally friendly and rational marine use, eco-friendly vessel distribution and the development of carbon reduction eco-friendly port technologies will reduce fine dust emissions from ports and vessels and create comfortable ports that are decarbonized and eco-friendly. Furthermore, marine spatial planning technology will be advanced, land-sea environmental management linkage strengthened, and integrated and rational marine use and management will be pursued through full-cycle management of marine litter. The total allowable catch (TAC) system will be expanded, illegal fishing crackdowns strengthened, biodegradable fishing gear mandated, and marine protected area usage subdivided to preserve marine ecosystem diversity.

In addition, to realize a maritime powerhouse leading international cooperation, active participation and leadership in international discussions in the marine fisheries sector will be pursued. Effective and multifaceted tailored official development assistance (ODA) projects will promote win-win cooperation not only with target countries of the New Southern and Northern policies but also with the international community.

Through these efforts, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries aims to achieve by 2030 ▲ Expansion of the marine fisheries new industry market size (33 trillion KRW in 2018 → 113 trillion KRW in 2030) ▲ Increase in average fishing household income (48.42 million KRW in 2018 → 70 million KRW in 2030) ▲ Increase in port cargo volume (1.64 billion tons in 2019 → 2 billion tons in 2030) ▲ Expansion of the controlled fleet size (85 million DWT in 2019 → 112.5 million DWT in 2030) ▲ Reduction of marine litter by 50% (149,000 tons in 2018 → 74,000 tons in 2030).

Minister Moon Sung-hyuk of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said, "The '3rd Basic Plan for Marine Fisheries Development,' established at this important time of transition, will serve as the compass for South Korea's marine fisheries policy for the next 10 years." He added, "We will communicate and cooperate with each ministry and local governments to ensure the plan is implemented without any setbacks."

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