Korean Response to Changes of the International Legal Framework for Fisheries in the Northeast Asian Seas

Abstract

This chapter reviews, among the three states, how Korea is accepting the challenges emanating from the changed legal framework for fisheries. Two most important measures taken by the Korean government are the reduction in number of fishing vessels and the introduction of the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) system. The continuously changing fisheries environment and necessity of international regulations reduction compelled the general reduction plan to be revised three times. In addition to the general reduction, in 1999, the Korean government prepared another track for the reduction in number of fishing vessels to accommodate its fishing capacity with respect to the narrowing of fishing grounds that was, and would be, brought into force by the multilateral fisheries agreements with Japan and China. On the basis of the Fishery Development Law, the Korean government was to buy fishing vessels and fishing gear from the fishermen who decided to quit fisheries. Keywords: fisheries; fishing vessels; International legal framework; Northeast Asian seas; total allowable catch (TAC) system