Jeonnam Province Provides Restoration Funds to Fisheries Affected by Influx of Gwaengsaengi Mozaban Seaweed

[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Province announced on the 11th that it will provide restoration funds of 1.07 billion KRW to 556 fishing households that suffered damages to aquaculture products such as Gim (laver), Dashima (kelp), Miyeok (wakame), and Tot (Sargassum) due to the influx of Sargassum horneri over the past four months until April.

Additionally, repayment deferrals and interest reductions will be applied to 189 fishing households that took out loans under the fishing fund.

This follows the fact that damage to aquaculture farms caused by Sargassum horneri is not recognized as a fishery disaster under the ‘Agriculture and Fisheries Disaster Countermeasures Act,’ and Jeonnam Province had repeatedly requested the government to recognize it as a fishery disaster and provide support.

Approximately 8.6 tons of naturally detached Sargassum horneri, which inhabits Chinese waters, flowed into Gim and Tot aquaculture farms in Jindo and Sinan from January to April due to northwesterly winds, causing damage worth 1.96 billion KRW to 623 fishing households.

Damaged fishing households receive direct support such as stocking costs for aquatic organisms like Gim and Tot, as well as indirect support including repayment deferrals and interest reductions on fishing fund loans, depending on the scale and extent of the damage.

Emergency management stabilization funds of up to 20 million KRW will also be provided only to fishing households that request it. The restoration costs by region are 730 million KRW for Jindo and 340 million KRW for Sinan.

The province plans to support 161 million KRW from the provincial budget as contingency funds to promptly provide restoration funds to the affected fishing households.

Choi Jeong-gi, Director of the Fisheries Resources Division of Jeonnam Province, said, “With the restoration fund support plan confirmed for the affected fishing households, we hope it will help stabilize their management even a little. We will also prepare and implement countermeasures against red tides and high water temperatures in summer so that fishermen can focus on their work with peace of mind, and expand enrollment in aquaculture product disaster insurance.”

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