Recently, a series of fishing boat accidents have occurred in Jeju, putting life-threatening long-distance fishing operations on the chopping block in the winter. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Feb. 14 (Korea Bizwire) — Recent fishing vessel accidents off Jeju Island have put a spotlight on the hazardous nature of long-distance winter fishing operations in South Korean waters, with fishermen risking their lives to pursue catches in distant seas.
The latest incident occurred on February 12 when the 32-ton Jaeseong-ho, carrying 10 crew members, capsized approximately 12 kilometers southwest of Pyoseon, Seogwipo, leaving five people missing. The vessel was engaged in hairtail fishing operations at the time of the accident.
This follows another incident on February 3, when a 48-ton vessel capsized near Taiwan, about 833 kilometers southwest of Seogwipo. Fortunately, all 10 crew members were rescued in that case.
These accidents highlight the risks faced by fishing crews pursuing hairtail, a warm-water species that requires vessels to travel to distant waters near Taiwan in the East China Sea during winter months. The journey alone typically takes three or four days from Seogwipo.
Hairtail fish migrate to the East China Sea during winter for growth before returning to waters around Jeju and South Korea’s southern coast for spawning between May and September. The migration pattern forces fishing vessels to operate at increasingly greater distances, as fish populations have significantly declined in recent years.
While fishing vessels previously operated 480-650 kilometers from Jeju, declining fish populations have forced them to venture even farther out to sea. The situation has been exacerbated by the suspension of the Korea-Japan Fisheries Agreement since 2016. The agreement, which determined fishing quotas and periods for both countries’ vessels in each other’s Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), remains stalled since negotiations broke down.
Previously, Jeju fishermen could operate in Japan’s EEZ, approximately 200 kilometers from Jeju. Without this access, they are forced to travel much farther to the East China Sea.
According to the Jeju Coast Guard, maritime accidents are more frequent in winter, with 31 major incidents recorded in winter 2023 compared to 26 in fall, 24 in spring, and 19 in summer. A similar pattern was observed in 2022, with 34 incidents in winter, 30 in summer, 28 in fall, and 24 in spring.
While nationwide maritime accidents in 2023 were highest in fall with 921 cases compared to winter’s 613 cases, winter accidents resulted in the highest number of casualties with 31 deaths or missing persons, compared to 30 in fall, 18 in summer, and 15 in spring.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Coast Guard explain that the higher casualty rates in winter are due to lower water temperatures and severe weather conditions, which can make accidents more deadly when they occur.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
