Samcheok City Launches Large-Scale Capture of Freshwater Cormorants to Protect Fisheries Resources

Population Increased 100-Fold in 20 Years... Consumes 1kg of Fish per Day
"Efforts to Ensure Safety and Biodiversity Through Use of Blank Cartridges and Ban on Overhunting"

On April 23, the city of Samcheok in Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province (Mayor Park Sangsoo) announced that it will conduct a large-scale capture of freshwater cormorants until June to protect inland fisheries resources and maintain ecological balance.

Freshwater cormorant. Photo by National Institute of Biological Resources, Biodiversity of the Korean Peninsula website

The freshwater cormorant was originally a migratory bird during the winter, but due to recent climate change, it has become a resident species in Korea, leading to a rapid increase in population. In Gangwon Province, the number of freshwater cormorants surged from 269 in 1999 to 32,000 in 2022. As a result, problems such as damage to fisheries resources and fish farms, as well as tree dieback, have become increasingly severe.

It has been found that several hundred freshwater cormorants inhabit major rivers in Samcheok, including the Gagokcheon and Goljicheon. Ongoing damage has been reported to local fish species such as sweetfish and trout, as well as to farmed fish. A single freshwater cormorant is known to consume more than 1 kilogram of fish per day, significantly impacting fishery resources.

Samcheok City will operate a dedicated capture team to intensively manage major habitats. To prevent firearm-related accidents, blank cartridges will be used in densely populated areas. The city also plans to prohibit overhunting in order to preserve biodiversity and the ecosystem.

An official from Samcheok City stated, "We expect this capture initiative to play an important role in minimizing damage to fisheries resources caused by freshwater cormorants and in restoring the ecosystem."