SEOUL, KOREA - The 2012 fish catch has declined due to typhoons and extended droughts. According to a fishery production trend report by the Korea Statistical Office on February 19, last year's fish catch stopped short of 3,183,000 tons, down 2.2 percent from the previous year's 3,110,000 tons. In value terms, last year's fishery income was 7,689.0 billion won, 4.8 percent lower than 2011.

The catch volume in coastal waters was 1,091,000 tons, down 11.7 percent from the previous year's 1,235,000 tons. The landings of yellow corvina saw the largest decline with 37.8 percent, followed by anchovies (-24.2%) and mackerel (-14.7%). Spanish mackerel, herring, and red snow crabs were caught over 10 percent more than the previous year.

 

Inland water fishery had a catch of 28,100 tons, 12.8 percent lower than in 2011. It was largely due to a precipitous fall in eel catches (-39.9%). Cat fish (-22.6%) and fresh water snail (-5.7%) also saw a decline because of the changing aquatic environment.

 

Meanwhile, deep-sea fishery recorded 575,000 tons of fish catch, up 12.7 percent, or 65,000 tons, from the previous year's 510,000 tons.