Incheon City Creates Artificial Reef Fishing Grounds Equivalent to 56 Soccer Fields: "Artificial Reefs Enhance Catch Efficiency"

Incheon City announced on the 17th that it will invest 1.64 billion KRW by this year to install 474 artificial reefs over 40 hectares (equivalent to 56 soccer fields) in the coastal waters of Ongjin-gun's Daecheong and Socheong, Deokjeok, and Jawol. This scale is comparable to the area of 56 soccer fields.

Artificial reefs, commonly called "fish apartments," are artificial structures made of concrete or steel designed to create spawning and habitat sites for marine life. Once placed underwater, seaweed and other marine plants attach to the surface of the reefs, transforming them into optimal habitats for shellfish and other aquatic species.

Since 1973, the city has been installing artificial reefs and has created reef fishing grounds covering 12,333 hectares (about 42 times the size of Yeouido) up to last year. This year, artificial reefs will be installed in four areas under Incheon City's jurisdiction: two steel fish cave reefs in the Daecheong and Socheong waters, 60 square cross-type artificial reefs in the Jawol Saseungbongdo waters, and 206 new iron-type reefs each in Deokjeok Seopo 1-ri and Buk 2-ri waters.

Artificial reef blocks of the Shinyocheol type are being deployed in the waters of Seopo 1-ri, Deokjeok, Ongjin-gun, Incheon.
[Photo provided by Incheon City]

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After the installation of artificial reefs is completed, the city plans to conduct thorough post-management in collaboration with the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency, including functional analysis of the reef fishing grounds, inspection of the artificial reef installation status, and waste management within the artificial reefs to maintain their functionality.

Additionally, the city will analyze the impact of artificial reefs on the marine environment and their effectiveness in fishery resource creation to reflect these findings in future projects. According to last year's functional analysis of reef fishing grounds, areas with artificial reefs showed an average catch rate 3.18 times higher than general waters.

An official from Incheon City stated, "Artificial reefs significantly contribute to providing high-quality habitats for marine life, which have become scarce due to climate change and marine development, thereby enhancing fishery resources and productivity. We will conduct suitability surveys for each water area and install appropriate artificial reefs to help increase fishermen's income."

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