Jeonnam Provincial Assembly Agriculture and Fisheries Committee: "A Specialized Institution for Eco-Friendly Seafood Must Be Established"

Japan's Nuclear Wastewater Discharge... Calls for Establishment and Promotion of Eco-Friendly Seafood

Lawmakers: "Systematic Response Including Organization Establishment Is Necessary"

As Japan plans to dilute and discharge contaminated water from its nuclear power plant into the sea, voices are rising calling for an organization to systematically respond to the safety of seafood in the Jeonnam region.

According to the Jeonnam Provincial Council on the 13th, members of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Committee unanimously called for the establishment of an Eco-friendly Fisheries Promotion Division in Jeonnam Province.

Members of the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Marine Affairs Committee of the Jeonnam Provincial Council requested the establishment and promotion of eco-friendly seafood for the safety of seafood in Jeonnam Province. Photo by Jeonnam Provincial Council

Currently, the Provincial Marine and Fisheries Bureau is divided into four departments: Shipping and Ports, Island Marine Policy, Fisheries Support, and Fisheries Distribution and Processing, but there is no specialized agency to implement eco-friendly fisheries policies.

The headquarters and the Marine and Fisheries Science Institute are separated, and only one official (Deputy Director of the Bureau) oversees and manages the bureau’s tasks simultaneously, making it difficult to resolve issues when problems arise.

As a result, concerns among consumers continue to rise amid Japan’s nuclear wastewater discharge.

In this situation, members of the Jeonnam Provincial Council’s Agriculture, Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Committee stated, “An eco-friendly marine and fisheries organization in Jeonnam is urgently needed to create a safe and sustainable seafood production environment,” emphasizing the necessity of establishing an Eco-friendly Fisheries Promotion Division.

They also expressed their intention to actively promote the necessity of the new division to alleviate domestic concerns about seafood safety that may arise if Fukushima nuclear wastewater is discharged into the sea.

There have been ongoing calls for a dedicated eco-friendly department to handle safety issues such as radioactive contaminated water.

Assemblyman Choi Dong-ik said, “Seafood exports in the first half of last year reached $1.71 billion, a 37.2% increase compared to the previous year, but the lack of a dedicated organization makes it extremely difficult to respond to the rapidly changing global seafood market,” adding, “A dedicated organization is essential to steadily guide the transition to eco-friendly fisheries.”

He continued, “Although the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute announced on the 16th of last month that the impact of Japan’s contaminated water on Korea is minimal based on simulation results, the dedicated team formation is urgent as environmental groups and the public do not trust this.”

Along with this, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Committee demanded the establishment of three teams under the Eco-friendly Fisheries Promotion Division?Eco-friendly Support Team, Tidal Flat Management Team, and Marine Conservation Team?to attract and carry out projects newly included as national tasks in Jeonnam.

Chairman Shin Eui-jun stated, “It is urgent to alleviate consumer anxiety over Japan’s nuclear wastewater discharge and to address the issue of local extinction,” adding, “To attract projects newly included as national tasks to Jeonnam, a new organization must be established to enable systematic responses.”