Prospects and Management Issues on the Fisheries Resources among Korea-China-Japan

한ㆍ중ㆍ일간 어업자원 관리 문제와 전망

The sea of north-east Asia is biologically interrelated and one country's mishap in the management of fisheries could have a critical effect upon the other. Accordingly under the TAC system adopted by all the countries of Korea, Japan and China, the mismanagement o( trans-boundary fish stocks under the provisional fisheries agreement prior to the delimitation of EEZ could lead to the irrevocable depletion of fisheries resources in case of absence of close cooperation among the countries concerned. To tackle the problems above, it is necessary, from a short term perspective, to promote the combined efforts to do researches on fisheries resources, find ways to improve the transparency of fisheries management, adjust the fisheries management regulations of each country, standardize fishing gears and methods, and exchange fisheries-related statistics and data for socio-economic analysis and strengthen joint research activities for the mutual benefits. From a longer term prospective, regional fisheries organization need to be set up to oversee the whole area of north-east Asian sea. The organization as such could play a role in adjusting the conflicting interests of Korea, Japan and China, and efficiently manage the fisheries resources, which is complex and challenging in nature. In addition, unlike China, the historical fisheries relationship between Korea and Japan, spirit of reciprocity and the Article 62 of the United Nations Convention On the Law Of Sea need to be taken into account when seeking for fisheries cooperation between the two countries through the international specialization. In other words, the data obtained through the joint researches on the fisheries resources for the specific ocean along with such factors as capital, labor, fisheries technology and consumption of fish products could be used to assign the specific sector of fisheries to the country who has a comparative advantage, thus achieving the mutually benefiting results Up to the present, concerted efforts by Korea, Japan and China on the fisheries cooperation have been consistently made, but the results have yet to be materialized, It is also beyond doubt that governmental consultations among the countries should be made on a consistent basis, but non-governmental organizations' exchanges and related joint researches will more likely help bring about the desired fruition in a shorter time.