Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Shifts Climate Change Response from 'Post-Disaster Recovery' to 'Predictive Prevention'

In the waters surrounding the Korean Peninsula, where surface temperatures have risen more than twice the global average due to climate change, key traditional species such as pollock and squid are disappearing. According to observation data from the National Institute of Fisheries Science spanning 1968 to 2025, the surface temperature of our seas has risen by approximately 1.60°C. The rate of increase over the past decade is three times that of the previous 35 years.

Due to these rapidly shifting marine ecosystems, pollock have vanished from coastal waters, and squid catch volumes hit a record low of 13,568 tons in 2024. Conversely, the total national fishery production in 2025 increased by 8.7% year-on-year to 3.93 million tons. Warm-water species are filling the void, with mackerel production rising 62.1% to 202,554 tons and anchovy increasing 25.0% to 150,009 tons.

In response, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries is seeking to transition its focus from reactive recovery to a proactive response system that predicts water temperature changes in advance to facilitate preparation.