Recognized for the Value of Primitive Fishing Practices Continuing to the Present
Jindo County in Jeollanam-do announced on the 7th that it has been designated as National Important Fisheries Heritage No. 13 by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries for the ‘Intertidal Zone Rock Seaweed Harvesting Fishery,’ a major source of income for residents of the Jindo and Sinan island areas.
The intertidal zone rock seaweed harvesting fishery in the Jindo and Sinan island areas has been carried on in the same primitive fishing method as that of the ancestors.
Local residents call the seaweed harvesting site ‘Gwakjeon (Gwak for seaweed (藿), Jeon for field (田))’ and regard seaweed as a crop cultivated in fields. They perform seaweed field cleaning and watering, and when harvesting seaweed, they only use a ‘seaweed sickle.’
In the Maenggol Archipelago of Jindo, seaweed is being harvested in its primitive fishing form. [Photo by Jindo-gun]
This fishing method has been highly valued for being a living heritage passed down to the present based on the long experience and knowledge of fishermen.
National Important Fisheries Heritage is finally designated through screening and evaluation of eight criteria, including whether the fishery activity produces seafood that supports the livelihood of local residents and whether it possesses unique experiences, knowledge, and technical systems.
Since 2015, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has designated fishery resources with preservation value among tangible and intangible aquatic resources that have been developed over a long time while adapting to local environments, societies, and customs as National Important Fisheries Heritage.
Once designated as National Important Fisheries Heritage, it receives a budget of 700 million KRW over three years to be preserved and managed as a sustainable fishery.
County Governor Kim Hee-su said, “Being designated and managed as National Important Fisheries Heritage for aquatic resources that have been passed down for a long time will greatly help enhance the value of our county’s fisheries industry,” adding, “We will do our best to revitalize island fishing villages by developing the National Important Fisheries Heritage into tourism products and more.”
Jindo = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Oh Seung-geun just8440@asiae.co.kr
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