Gijang-gun, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Finalizes Selection of New Project Site for 'Sea Forest Creation'

Coastal Ecosystem Restoration and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Expected

Busan Gijang-gun Fisheries Resources Research Center.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongguk Lee] The Busan Gijang-gun Fisheries Resources Research Center has been continuously conducting analysis of the seaweed bed degradation stages and data collection along the Gijang coast since 2021 to select the site for the ‘2023 Sea Forest Creation Project.’ As a result, on January 5th, the Dongbaek sea area in Gijang-gun (157.6 hectares) was finally selected as one of the 15 new sea forest project sites nationwide.

The creation of sea forests is a project to restore coastal ecosystems damaged by desertification of the sea as a proactive response to the climate change crisis, such as rising seawater temperatures.

Additionally, as a carbon sink (blue carbon) that absorbs carbon up to 50 times faster than terrestrial ecosystems, sea forests are expected to reduce greenhouse gases through photosynthesis of seaweed.

Based on the results of a three-year survey on the habitat status of seaweed resources along the Gijang coast conducted independently by the Gijang Research Center from 2019 to 2021, two sites in Mundong and Dongbaek sea areas in Ilgwang-myeon, Gijang-gun were applied as candidate sites for sea forest creation. According to the suitability survey by the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency, the Dongbaek sea area in Gijang-gun was finally selected.

The coastal area of Dongbaek-ri, Ilgwang-myeon, Gijang-gun, selected as the site for the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries' Sea Forest Creation Project.

The Ilgwang sea area in Gijang-gun was in urgent need of coastal ecological restoration as it was progressing toward the loss of seaweed communities and accelerated desertification of the sea. However, with the final selection of this project site, it is expected that the recovery and enhancement of coastal fisheries resources will be maintained.

In particular, unlike previous years, this year’s sea forest creation project is considering environmentally friendly methods such as transplanting seaweeds like gamtae and mozaban using natural rocks instead of artificial structures like artificial reefs, which is expected to double the project’s effectiveness.

Jung Jong-bok, the mayor of Gijang-gun, said, “Through the creation of sea forests, we will contribute to the formation and recovery of fisheries resources in the Gijang coastal area and do our best together with related officials so that it can be linked to increasing fishermen’s income.”

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