Ministry Seeks to Tackle Aging Fishing Villages and Climate Crisis...Meets with Young Fishers

Meeting with Young Fishers Held in Goseong, South Gyeongsang Province
Seeking Measures to Support Youth Settlement

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will hold a meeting in Goseong, South Gyeongsang Province, on the 5th to respond to changes in the fisheries environment such as the aging of fishing villages and the intensification of climate change, and to establish policy directions that reflect the opinions of young fishers.

According to the ministry, the domestic fisheries industry is facing a structural crisis, as the fishing population has decreased from 251,000 in 2000 to 89,000 in 2024, falling to about one-third in just over 20 years, and the aging rate has reached 50.4%.

In addition, from 1968 to 2023, the surface water temperature of coastal and offshore waters around Korea rose by about 1.44 degrees Celsius, more than double the global average increase, which is adding to uncertainties caused by climate change.

The ministry views the inflow and settlement of younger generations as a key task to overcome this situation, and organized this meeting as part of discussions on transforming the fisheries sector into a "land of opportunity" led by young people.

During the meeting, officials will listen to the entry barriers that young people face when returning to fishing villages, as well as the economic and institutional difficulties they encounter in the early stages of settlement. Based on this, the ministry plans to systematically promote field-oriented policies to support the stable settlement of young fishers and to revitalize the fisheries industry.

Choi Hyunho, policy chief for fisheries at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, said, "We are actively supporting young people who return to fishing villages by providing assistance such as leasing fishing vessels and fish farms and creating youth sea villages," adding, "We will reflect vivid voices from the field in our policies to create a fisheries environment where young people want to return and stay."