Abstract
In recent, the Korean fisheries industry face an overall crisis. Annual fish catch is continuously decreasing for last two decades even though various programs to improve fish population. Moreover, domestic fish market is more and more occupied by imported cheap fish products from abroad due to the consequence of open economic policy, FTA and WTO/DDA entente. Under the circumstances, this study aims to examine the potential for building fisheries cluster as a policy tool to promote fisheries and fisheries-associated industries in Korea. To achieve this goal, the authors firstly reviewed the theoretical concept of Industrial Cluster in the evolutionary economics point of view, secondly, analyzed the main components of Porterian Cluster(or innovation cluster), thirdly, derived the key reasons to induce the improvement of productivity within the cluster network system and lastly evaluated fisheries capability and industrial infrastructures of each province as a basic condition to build a fisheries cluster. The result of the study demonstrates the voluntary accumulation of fish products and processing techniques in Korea, however, it is not enough to make up a Porterian innovation. Therefore, the present is most opportune for applying fisheries cluster as a strategic policy tool. Government supports to establish innovation cluster for fisheries may contribute both fisheries industry and local economy by developing the latent capacity of fisheries and helping concentrate innovation capabilities.