KMI Announces Study on Improvement Measures for Inland Fisheries Licensing and Reporting System

Aiming to Resolve Administrative Confusion Among Local Governments
and Promote Sustainable Development of Inland Fisheries

The Korea Maritime Institute (KMI), led by President Cho Jeonghee, has published a study titled "Research on Improvement Measures for Inland Fisheries Licensing and Reporting System," presenting directions for legal and institutional reforms to ensure the rational management and sustainable development of inland fisheries.

This study focused on inland fisheries, which account for only 0.2% of the total fisheries production and have long been in a policy blind spot due to their minimal output.

Since the "Inland Fisheries Act" in 2019 transferred the inland aquaculture sector to the "Aquaculture Industry Development Act," the scope of legal application has become narrower. Additionally, as provisions from the "Fisheries Act" and the "Fisheries Resources Management Act" were adopted, ambiguous regulatory interpretations led to different administrative practices among local governments, resulting in frequent civil complaints.

Choi Soon, head of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Industry Research Division and lead author of the study, stated, "The criteria for inland fisheries licensing differ by local government, causing confusion in the field. There is also a significant administrative burden and many complaints due to license applications from residents of other regions. It is necessary to operate a rational system that reflects the characteristics of inland fisheries and the realities of each region."

The study proposed six main improvement measures: clarifying address requirements for license applications, limiting the number of licenses, specifying address requirements and conditions for invalidation in reported fisheries, introducing provisions for succession, modification, and closure of license status, establishing new rules for license register documentation and management, and revising the processing period for licensing and reporting.

In particular, the study emphasized the need to revise related laws and improve the system to ensure the efficient operation of the inland fisheries licensing and reporting system.

KMI President Cho Jeonghee stated, "Improving the inland fisheries licensing and reporting system is an essential task for the sustainable development of the sector. We expect this study to contribute to the rational operation and policy formulation for inland fisheries."

Cover of the Research Report on Improvement Measures for Inland Fisheries Permit and Registration System.