South Jeolla Province will release a total of 15 species — including black porgy, spotted sea bass, fleshy prawn, blue crab, cockle and sea cucumber — in sequential phases through December, in line with their ecological cycles. The initiative aims to restore marine resources and boost fishermen's income.
The provincial government said Monday that it will invest a total of 3.3 billion won ($2.4 million) this year to release 17.3 million juvenile marine creatures along the coasts of 14 cities and counties.
From 1988 through last year, South Jeolla Province invested a total of 66.7 billion won to release 590 million juveniles, contributing to the conservation of marine ecosystems and the recovery of fishery resources.
The province's marine seed release program has been credited with driving economic indicators such as income growth. According to an economic feasibility assessment of marine seed releases by the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency, the program delivered returns of 3.5 times for sevenband grouper, 2 times for black porgy and 19 times for striped beakfish.
To enhance the objectivity and credibility of the release program, the province has commissioned the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency to conduct studies on the effectiveness of marine seed releases since 2007. Using scientific methods such as bycatch rate surveys and genetic analysis, the program systematically verifies the effectiveness of releases by analyzing outcomes by coastal area and species.
"We will build a sustainable foundation for marine resources by linking this with initiatives such as creating marine forests and installing artificial reefs," said Park Young-chae, director of the Marine and Fisheries Bureau at South Jeolla Province.
