[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province is launching an intensive crackdown on illegal activities at seaweed farms within the province.
On the 9th, Gyeonggi Province announced that from the 13th of this month until April 30th next year, a five-month joint crackdown by the provincial and city/county authorities will be conducted on the use of inorganic acid and unlicensed seaweed farming activities at seaweed farms in the province.
Inorganic acid is an illegal substance used to remove foreign matter at seaweed farms. It has a chlorine ion concentration of 30-33%, making it more acidic compared to organic acid (9.5% or less). In particular, since it can harm the marine environment and the safety of seafood, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries classifies it as a hazardous chemical and prohibits its use in seaweed farming.
The crackdown targets 66 seaweed harvesting farms covering 3,100 hectares, including 48 locations in Hwaseong City and 18 in Ansan City.
The main crackdown items include ▲(On land) illegal storage and stacking of inorganic acid around harbors and fishing ports ▲(At sea) whether harmful chemicals are stored or used on fishery management vessels harvesting seaweed.
On land, inspections will focus on docks, warehouses, and greenhouses near harbors and fishing ports with a high possibility of inorganic acid storage near seaweed farms (such as Tando and Haengnang-gok in Ansan, and Jebu and Gungpyeong Port in Hwaseong). At sea, three fishery patrol vessels from the province, Ansan City, and Hwaseong City will strengthen inspections and searches of seaweed harvesting sites and fishery management vessels.
Under the current Fisheries Resources Management Act, the storage or use of hazardous chemicals (inorganic acid) for seaweed farming is strictly restricted. Violations are punishable by imprisonment of up to two years or fines up to 20 million KRW, along with administrative sanctions such as suspension or cancellation of fishing licenses.
The province invests more than 600 million KRW annually to suppress illegal use of inorganic acid at seaweed farms by supporting the use of activated treatment agents (organic acid) with a chlorine ion concentration of 9.5% or less, compliant with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries’ standards, at seaweed farms in Ansan and Hwaseong.
Kim Seong-gon, Director of the Marine Fisheries Division of Gyeonggi Province, emphasized, "We will strictly punish acts that destroy the marine environment and cause distrust in Gyeonggi Province’s seaweed products due to the use of inorganic acid, applying a zero-tolerance policy to establish a fair fishing order."
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