The traditional abundance of squid along the east coast has dwindled. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEJONG, Nov. 14 (Korea Bizwire) – As ocean temperatures rise due to global warming, the fishing landscape on the Korean Peninsula is undergoing significant shifts. The traditional abundance of squid along the east coast has dwindled, making way for a rise in yellowtail from the southern island of Jeju in the East Sea. Additionally, tuna, previously uncommon near the Korean Peninsula, have started to appear in these waters.
According to the National Academy of Fisheries Science, recent climate changes have notably impacted two specific species: yellowtail and Pacific flying squid. The catch of yellowtail has surged from 4532 tons in 1990 to 21,250 tons last year.
However, the dominant fishing grounds for yellowtail have transitioned. While in 1990, the Southern Sea accounted for 77 percent of the yellowtail catch, the balance between the East and South Seas started to shift in the late 2010s. By 2018, the East Sea’s share of the yellowtail catch (68 percent) nearly doubled that of the South Sea (32 percent). Last year, both seas contributed almost equally, with 46 percent and 54 percent of the yellowtail catch in the East and South Seas, respectively.
This shift is primarily attributed to elevated surface water temperatures caused by global warming. Yellowtail, an anadromous fish that migrates north in spring and south in early winter, has found the warmer East Sea increasingly hospitable, halting its traditional winter migration southward, consequently reducing catches in southern waters.
Conversely, the Pacific flying squid faces challenges in catch rates. The average water temperature in the southern waters of the East Sea, the primary fishing area, rose by 2 to 4 degrees between the 1990s and the 2010s. This rise caused a significant decline in squid catches in the East Sea, plummeting from 122,417 tons in 2009 to a mere 15,658 tons last year.
Tuna, a subtropical species, have begun to appear in the East Sea in recent years. This fish, usually found in warm tropical waters of the Pacific Ocean, seems to have ventured north due to the warming attributed to climate change.
Last year, the average water temperature on the Korean Peninsula was 17.4 degrees, 0.23 degrees above the norm from 1991 to 2020. There were also 64 high-temperature advisory days, marking a considerable increase from the previous year.
While climate change is a significant factor, overfishing also plays a crucial role. Kang Soo-kyung, head of the Coastal and Marine Resources Division at the National Institute of Fisheries Science, stresses the necessity of considering various factors beyond the marine environment. The impact of overfishing, particularly on squid, cannot be overlooked.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
