• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.295-307
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• 2021

The Korean Peninsula is surrounded on three sides by the East Sea, West Sea and South Sea which are connected to many rivers and streams, thereby facilitating easy inflow of debris from land. Furthermore, excessive debris inflow to the sea because of active fishing and various recreational activities. Debris entering the sea are weighted over time and settle in the seabed, thus, making direct monitoring of debris impossible and its collection difficult. Uncollected submerged marine debris affects the seabed ecosystem and water quality and can cause ghost fishing and ship accidents, especially due to waste net ropes and waste fishing gears. Therefore, understanding the debris distribution characteristics is necessary to assist quick collection of these debris (waste net ropes and waste fishing gears). Thus, this study conducted a survey of debris deposited in the seas of 39 ports. Furthermore, distribution characteristics and compositions of submerged marine debris were identified by a map prepared through GIS-based spatial analysis of the East Sea. Consequently, 58% of waste tires in the East Sea were concentrated in breakwaters and ship berthing facilities. Moreover, 26 % of waste plastics were distributed outside the port. Identifying the distinct distribution characteristics of submerged marine debris was difficult; however, compared with others, the distribution of waste plastics was possible outside the port. The findings of this study can serve as baseline data to assist the collection of submerged marine debris using the distribution characteristics.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.263-273
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• 2015

We estimated the global inflow and stock of plastic marine debris. In South Korea, we estimated that the annual inflow of plastic marine debris (72,956 tons) was about 1.4% of annual plastics consumption (5.2 million tons) in 2012. By applying this 1.4% ratio to global plastics production from 1950 to 2013, we estimated that 4.2 million tons of plastic debris entered the ocean in 2013 and that there is a stock of 86 million tons of plastic marine debris as of the end of 2013, assuming zero outflow. In addition, with a logistic model, if 4% of petroleum is turned into plastics, the final stock of plastic marine debris shall be 199 million tons at the end. As the inflow and the stock are different units of measurement, better indicators to assess the effectiveness of inflow-reducing policies are needed. And, as the pollution from plastic marine debris is almost irreversible, countermeasures to prevent it should be valued more, and stronger preventive measures should be taken under the precautionary principle. As this is a preliminary study based on limited information, further research is needed to clarify the tendency of inflow and stock of plastic marine debris.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.330-336
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• 2012

We surveyed and evaluated quantities and distribution characteristics of debris on the sea floor around active fishing grounds around the islands in the southwest coast of Korea in 2007 where the average depth is below 40m. Proper recovery gears mainly to haul the derelict fishing gears are selected considering the sea bed types of the areas. The collected debris amounts were used to estimate the total amount of the surveyed area. The number of hauls per trial times the amount of the debris was extended to whole sampling area and the weighting factor from the opinion was applied to reach the total amount of marine debris on the floor. The amount of the deposited marine debris around Wangdeung-do area is estimated as about 686 $kg/km^2$, and the cost of the collection and treatment for the deposited marine debris is estimated about 3.9 billion KRW after consideration of the proper size of the working ships, labor, transport and treatment cost.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.45-53
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• 2002

This investigation is performed to prepare reducing method drained floating debris from the river This paper is present an investigation result of the marine debris characteristics that drained from korea 4 big river(han river, kum river, youngsan river, nakdong river) during July and August. A mount of floating debris different with rainfall. Short heavy rain like as 150mm/day floating debris drained lower, almost floating debris drained when a flooding cause by continuance heavy rain. Floating debris draining is not continuance, but concentrated on a flooding. All debris is do not drained ocean, a lot of debris accumulated riverside. Floating debris is drained with plant and configuration is similar with other river. But, the component ratio is different, so that, to Prepare removing method for floating debris consider that effect of plant debris.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.104-115
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• 2014

Abundance and composition of marine debris on 13 beaches of Tongyeong City, South Korea were surveyed in 2013 Autumn. The average quantity of macro debris (>25 mm) was about 30 particle/$m^2$ and that of micro debris (1 mm-25 mm) was about 26,971 particle/$m^2$. This is a very high level compared with other areas of South Korea and the other countries. Among the 7 material types of debris (styrofoam, hard plastic, fiber, metal, glass, wood and others), styrofoam composed a large portion: 75% of macro debris and 98% of micro debris. And among the 'whole' styrofoam debris items whose original volume is remained more than 50%, styrofoam buoy debris composed 93%. This result suggests that the beaches surveyed are seriously contaminated by marine debris, and most of its sources are aquaculture styrofoam buoys. Management of styrofoam buoy debris used for oyster aquaculture in Tongyeong City is important not only for Tongyeong city, but also for other areas, because Tongyeong city hosts the biggest number of oyster aquaculture areas in South Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.89-100
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• 2012

The aim of this study knows to occurrence characteristics and monthly transition of foreign marine debris by changing in the marine environment for the national marine debris monitoring areas in the west coastal area. The Jeju Island (5,112) had the highest number for foreign marine debris flowed in the coast. Many areas in the next were surveyed by Hajo Island (1,967), Imja Island (507). Plastic bottles were the most common type to 2,925 piece of the whole collection. Then, the monthly occurrence amount was concentrated in July, September. At this time, analysis results of the marine environment are as follows: The sea surface wind of southerly or southeasterly were predominated. In addition, the sea surface circulations were dominated by inflow of seawater southward along the China Coast and northward from the East China Sea.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.270-280
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• 2023

The creation of marine protected areas is an important aspect of marine ecosystem sustainability. However, South Korea has not achieved its Aichi Biodiversity Target to designate 10% of its sea as marine protected by 2020. Local residents have strong opposition to the designation of protected areas in South Korea; there has been little trust in the government since the 1970s, when residents felt that their property rights were being ignored in favor of creating national parks. Here, we present a case where creation of a marine protected area was led by residents of TongYeong City. The success of a participation income project to remove marine debris in the city seems to be an important factor that led to the designation of the marine protected area. The case of TongYeong City is compared with that of nearby Geoje City, where an ecologically important stream has not been designated as a wetland protection area, although a similar participation income project enrolled the city's residents. The comparison provides a tentative assessment of the conditions needed to increase trust among residents. The results suggest that, if the projects are well-designed and well-managed, participation income projects to remove marine debris can be effective in building trust among stakeholders in potential marine protected areas.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.28-34
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• 2002

The purpose of this study is the RDF process development for the disposal of marine debris, and physical properties of RDF was analyzed for the reliability as a industrial fuel. By the separation of lead from the waste rope and the pelletizing of burning material, marine debris changes to fuel resources. The resource recycling process is effective in the clean treatment of waste and the secure of substitute energy.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.354-361
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• 2010

Author investigated the distribution of debris by a bottom trawler in the eight sea stations over the sea between Busan and Jeju island. 2,118 debris in number and 2,401.5kg in weight were collected. Most of collected debris were fishing gears which seemed to be lost or discarded during operations, and also most of the fishing gears was an eel pot. The densities of debris per hectare in number and weight were 1.21pieces and 2.639kg respectively. Station A was the highest densities compared to other stations, showing 2.7pisces and 4.9kg per hectare in number and weight. The closer to Busan it is, the higher density of debris can be collected.

• Proceedings of KOSOMES biannual meeting
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• 2017.04a
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• pp.159-159
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• 2017