Gangwon Selected for Most Abandoned Fishing Gear Collection Projects Nationwide... Accelerating Creation of a "Clean East Coast"

A Remarkable Achievement: 18 Organizations from Gangwon Selected Among 54 Nationwide
Fishermen's Direct Participation Prevents "Ghost Fishing" and Ensures Safe Navigation for Fishing Vessels

Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province has been selected for the largest number of projects nationwide under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries' "2026 Fishermen's Organization Abandoned Fishing Gear Collection Project," taking the lead in creating clean marine areas along the East Coast.

View of Gangwon Provincial Government Building. Courtesy of Gangwon Provincial Government.

The province announced that 18 organizations from four cities and counties within Gangwon (Gangneung, Donghae, Goseong, and Yangyang) were finally selected for this project, which was organized by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (with the Korea Fisheries Infrastructure Agency as the organizer). These 18 organizations account for 33% of the 54 organizations selected from nine metropolitan and provincial governments nationwide, marking the highest selection rate across the country.

The "Fishermen's Organization Abandoned Fishing Gear Collection Project" was established to reduce the occurrence of abandoned fishing gear, which has been identified as a major cause of marine ecosystem destruction and the decline of marine resources. The project encourages fishermen, who directly use fishing gear, to voluntarily collect abandoned gear from their fishing grounds. The collected gear is then sorted and classified by type—such as traps, gillnets, and ropes—and stored at designated collection points. Incentives are provided based on the amount and type of abandoned gear collected.

Currently, approximately 145,000 tons of marine waste are generated annually in Korean waters, and about 40,000 tons—roughly 28%—consist of abandoned fishing gear. In particular, abandoned fishing gear left in the sea is a major cause of so-called "ghost fishing," in which marine creatures become trapped and die, with their corpses becoming bait that leads to further chain deaths. This poses a serious threat to the marine environment.

Given the high participation rate of local fishermen in this public contest, the province expects a significant increase in the collection and processing of abandoned fishing gear in 2026. Based on this, Gangwon aims to prevent accidents such as boat propeller entanglements and ensure safe navigation, while also realizing a sustainable ocean for future generations.

Nam Jinwoo, Director of the Oceans and Fisheries Bureau of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, stated, "Gangwon's fishermen's organizations have the highest participation rate nationwide, reflecting their strong commitment to restoring the ocean. We will continue to actively support fishermen so that the project can proceed smoothly, and we will expand voluntary participation in similar initiatives to help create clean marine areas along the East Coast."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.