How to Secure Marine and Fisheries Resources... Yeongdeok-gun, 10th Gyeongbuk Marine and Fisheries Revitalization International Symposium

Exploring Strategies to Discover Carbon Sinks Utilizing Marine Ecosystem Resources of the East Coast

Yeongdeok-gun held the 10th Gyeongbuk Marine Fisheries Revitalization International Symposium on the 10th.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Gwi-yeol] Yeongdeok-gun, Gyeongbuk Province held the "10th Gyeongbuk Marine Fisheries Revitalization International Symposium" on the 10th at the Yeongdeok Lohas Fisheries Food Support Center to explore ways to utilize marine and fisheries resources.

This symposium was an occasion to seek sustainable utilization methods through the preservation and economic value of marine and fisheries resources in Gyeongsangbuk-do.

Hosted by Gyeongsangbuk-do and Yeongdeok-gun, the symposium was attended by Kang Seong-jo, Deputy Governor of Gyeongsangbuk-do, Lee Hee-jin, Mayor of Yeongdeok-gun, Ha Byung-du, Chairman of Yeongdeok County Council, university professors, related experts, and fishermen.

This year's symposium focused on the theme "Creation of East Coast Sea Forests and Utilization of Blue Carbon for Carbon Negative." To achieve carbon neutrality in the marine and fisheries sector, the event featured keynote presentations and panel discussions to develop international strategies for blue carbon from East Sea coastal seaweed resources, which are gaining attention as new carbon sinks, and to discuss the necessity of expanding blue carbon resources in the East Coast region.

Starting with a keynote speech by Professor Lee Ki-taek of POSTECH, a member of the 2050 Carbon Neutral Green Growth Committee, Session 1 featured presentations by Hong Ji-won, Professor of Hydrogen and Renewable Energy at Kyungpook National University, on "The Value and Utilization of East Coast Blue Carbon Resources," and Lee Geun-seop, Professor of Biology at Pusan National University, on "Our Coastal Zostera Blue Carbon," highlighting the importance of blue carbon.

In Session 2, Husen Rifai, a researcher at the Indonesian Marine Science Research Center, presented on "Management of Blue Carbon Seagrass Habitats in Indonesian Marine Protected Areas," and Peter Harris, CEO of GRID-Arendal, a partner of the United Nations Environment Programme, spoke on "Nature-based Solutions Supporting Communities and Climate Action: Global Sea Forest Cases," emphasizing global attention to blue carbon.

In the final Session 3, Kim Hyung-geun, Professor of Marine Ecological Environment at Gangneung-Wonju National University, presented on "Climate Change Adaptation Promotion and Understory Vegetation Ecological Restoration," and Kwak Cheol-woo, CEO of the Korea Marine Environment Ecology Research Institute, spoke on "Stable Sea Forest Creation and Marine Ecosystem Restoration through Seaweed Bed Formation Technology," advocating the value of marine ecosystems.

During the panel discussion, chaired by Hwang Seon-jae, Head of Resource Business at Korea Fisheries Resources Agency, in-depth discussions were held on the creation of East Coast sea forests, carbon negative utilization and expansion of blue carbon, technology development, and policy discovery. Panelists included Kim Nam-il, Head of the East Sea Region Headquarters of Gyeongsangbuk-do; Yoon Ki-jun, Officer of Fisheries Resource Policy Division at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries; Choi Chang-geun, Professor of Sustainable Engineering at Pukyong National University; Kim Nam-gil, Professor of Aquaculture Life Sciences at Gyeongsang National University; Noh Joon-sung, Professor of Environmental Energy Space Convergence at Sejong University; and Park Heung-sik, Head of Research and Development at the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology.

Lee Hee-jin, Mayor of Yeongdeok-gun, stated, "As a measure against the climate crisis, the whole world is implementing the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and striving to reduce greenhouse gases by country, but there is a limit to carbon sequestration that can be handled on land, so it is time to discover new carbon sinks in the ocean."

He added, "We will actively reflect the expansion plans for sea forests and blue carbon resources derived from this symposium into policies to strengthen the competitiveness of East Coast marine resources and use it as an opportunity for future marine fisheries development."