Sinan-gun Establishes Spawning and Habitat Sites on Bigeumdo, Heuksan, and Gageodo Islands

Securing 10 Billion Won in Project Funds... Expected to Play a Major Role in Fisheries Resource Recovery and Illegal Fishing Eradication

Artificial reefs are being deployed. ? Asia Economy

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Seo Young-seo] Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do, has been selected for two projects in the 2022 Fisheries Resource Spawning and Habitat Creation Project implemented by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

According to the county on the 24th, spawning and habitat creation will be promoted in the waters near Bigeum Nodaedo and Heuksan Gageodo Gukhuldo, with a total project cost of 10 billion KRW. From 2022 to 2026, 1 billion KRW will be invested annually, carrying out the project over five years.

Sinan-gun expects that this will greatly help in recovering fishery resources, which have been continuously declining due to various factors such as climate change, indiscriminate overfishing, and habitat reduction, as well as increasing the income of fishermen.

In particular, from the start of the project, the designated areas will be set as fisheries resource management waters, and autonomous management communities and management committees will be formed to systematically manage the waters through autonomous usage regulations, blocking illegal fishing and foreign vessels, and self-monitoring.

The selected fisheries resource spawning and habitat creation project will include the creation of fishery seed resources, installation of artificial reefs (for habitat and shelter), continuous collection of abandoned fishing gear (nets), improvement of fishing ground environments, and monitoring.

A county official said, "Through the selection of this public project, we expect a win-win effect such as the recovery of fishery resources and income increase by protecting local fishermen," adding, "We will not stop here but will make every effort to establish a sustainable fisheries resource supply base targeting the waters within the jurisdiction."

Meanwhile, up to now, a total of 39 species including abalone and sea cucumber, totaling 38,900,000 fishery seeds have been released, and 40,526 artificial reefs have been deployed, contributing to the recovery of fishery resources and the income increase of fishermen.