Pohang City, Apply Now for This Year's Newly Established 'Basic Fisheries Direct Payment'!

New Direct Payment System for Small-Scale Fishermen and Crew

Applications Open from the 3rd, Expecting Expansion of Eligible Fishers

Pohang City is accepting applications for the newly established basic fisheries public payment, including the small-scale fishing household direct payment and the crew member direct payment, from the 3rd of this month until the 31st of next month.

Pohang City Hall.

If the port of registration or address is in an eup or myeon area, applications can be submitted at the eup or myeon administrative welfare centers; for dong areas, applications are accepted at the City Fisheries Policy Division and the Yeonoseoho Office located in Songdo-dong.

The newly implemented basic fisheries public payment system this year is promoted in accordance with the revised "Act on the Operation of Direct Payment System for the Promotion of Public Functions of Fisheries and Fishing Villages," which came into effect on April 1. It aims to ensure fairness with agricultural and forestry direct payment systems, prevent the disappearance of fishing villages, and enhance the public functions of fisheries and fishing villages.

The small-scale fishing household direct payment targets fishers who have received coastal fishing permits for vessels under 5 tons, registered fishers, etc., who meet the following conditions: ▲operating for 60 days or more per year or having annual seafood sales of 1.2 million KRW or more ▲maintaining registration as a fishing business entity for more than 3 years and engaging in fishing (until 2025, sales performance outside the registration period will be temporarily recognized) ▲having a comprehensive income excluding fishing of less than 20 million KRW in the previous year ▲the total comprehensive income excluding fishing of all members in the same household is less than 45 million KRW ▲the total fishing income of all household members is less than 150 million KRW.

The crew member direct payment requires the owner of the fishing vessel and the crew member to maintain an employment relationship for more than 6 months within a year or to have worked as a crew member on board for more than 6 months within a year. Additionally, applicants must meet the following conditions: ▲having an employment contract or boarding record for 6 months or more between 2022.1.1 and 2022.12.31 or between 2022.4.1 and 2023.3.31 ▲having a comprehensive income excluding fishing of less than 20 million KRW in the previous year ▲the total comprehensive income excluding fishing of all members in the same household is less than 45 million KRW.

If confirmed as eligible for the small-scale fishing household or crew member direct payment, 1.2 million KRW will be paid. In the case of the basic public payment system, overlapping support with agricultural, fisheries, and forestry public payment systems is not allowed.

Jung Cheol-young, head of the Fisheries Policy Division, said, "We hope this will provide some economic relief to fishers who are struggling due to resource depletion caused by climate change, high prices, and changes in dietary habits, which have led to decreased seafood production and sales." He added, "We will prepare various support measures to create sustainable fishing villages in the future."

With the fisheries public payment system reorganized from the existing four types, including the fisheries resource protection direct payment, to six types by adding the small-scale fishing household and crew member direct payments, it is expected that about 1,500 additional fishers and crew members will benefit, up from about 100 previously.

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