Promotion of Onboard Collection Points for Marine Debris and Purchase of Waste During Fishing Operations
Wando-gun, Jeollanam-do (Governor Shin Woo-cheol) announced on the 29th that it will invest 3 billion KRW to collect and dispose of 7,600 tons of marine debris to protect the marine ecosystem.
Since 2015, the county has declared "Clean Sea, Healthy Sea, Republic of Korea's Clean Sea Capital Wando" and has been steadily implementing policies to cultivate a clean sea.
This year, 3 billion KRW will be invested to sequentially collect marine debris starting from towns and townships with high amounts of marine waste.
In addition, the county will continue efforts such as removing abandoned vessels, purchasing debris raised during fishing operations, installing onboard collection points for marine debris, and cleaning aquaculture farms.
Education will also be provided to fishermen to prevent them from discarding waste buoys or fishing gear into the sea during fishing activities.
Furthermore, the "Sea Guardians 365 Mobile Unit" will collect marine debris from inhabited and uninhabited islands that are difficult to access by hand, and the "Sea Environment Guardians" will operate year-round to regularly clean the coastline. For coastal areas where vehicle access is difficult, aquaculture cleaning vessels will be used.
A county official stated, "Marine pollution caused by marine debris is a serious problem that threatens not only the marine ecosystem but also human health," adding, "Everyone must actively participate in creating a clean marine environment."
Wando = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Kyung-pil just8440@asiae.co.kr
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