Korea has taken measures to proactively prevent, deter and eradicate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, following the ‘yellow card’ warning given by the European Union in 2013
The National Assembly of Korea has adopted an amended Distant Water Fisheries Development (DWFD) Act which will be in force from 7 July 2015. It will allow greater control over all IUU vessels, the confiscation of illegal fish and restriction of fishing authorisations; increased ability to act when Korean nationals engage in IUU fishing in waters outside Korea’s jurisdiction; enhanced Monitoring, Control and Surveillance including installation of Vessel Monitoring Systems; and tougher sanctions on serious infringements.
From 2010 to early 2014, the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) documented a large number of Korean-flagged vessels operating illegally in West Africa, particularly in Sierra Leone. EJF’s evidence contributed to the 2013 decision by the European Union to warn Korea that it faced trade sanctions if it did not improve fisheries management.
Korea was encouraged to act by the European Commission’s EU IUU Regulation and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with EJF in June 2014, committing to renew efforts to curb IUU fishing. In 2014 Korea significantly strengthened its Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) capacity and reinforced sanctions on IUU fishing activities. Korean fishing vessels are now required to carry Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS), which allow satellites to track their movements. Korean officials monitor VMS from a 24-hour Fisheries Monitoring Centre that opened in May 2014. From September 2015, all vessels will be fitted with an electronic logbook system, which will allow vessels to share real-time information on catch and fishing operations.
The adoption of the amended Act confirms the political commitment of the Korean Government to a strict sanctions system to deprive offenders of any economic benefit from IUU fishing and remove this incentive. As a strong deterrent against illegal fishing activities, serious infringements will be listed as a criminal offence with imprisonment up to five years or a fine of at least 500 million Korean Won.
