This study aims to examine total factor productivity (TFP) and its determinants in offshore fisheries under the worsening fishing environment and to propose policy improvement based on the estimation results. We identified a decline in TFP of offshore fisheries from 2012 to 2020 employing the global Malmquist productivity index (GMPI), with the primary cause being the regression of the production possibility frontier due to the reduction of fishery resources. Moreover, utilizing the system generalized method of moments (GMM), we found that the determinants, such as the cessation of operations in Japan’s EEZ, vessel age, fishing experience, and oil prices, contribute to a decrease in the TFP of offshore fisheries. Therefore, this study suggests implementing a total allowable catch (TAC)-centered fishery resource management policy, along with reducing loan interest rates and extending the repayment period for the vessel modernization project. Furthermore, it is necessary to improve the TFP of offshore fisheries by providing regular training for fishermen, implementing the tax-free petroleum stockpiling project, and developing alternative fishing grounds.
The purpose of this study is to estimate the production function of the oliver flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) aquaculture industry, analyze its efficiency, and provide implications for sustainable aquaculture. For this purpose, the SFA model was utilized. The results of this study are as follows. First, the coefficient values of labor wages and farm area are higher than other inputs. This suggests that the Korean oliver flounder aquaculture industry is labor-intensive. Second, disease management is highly influenced by management efficiency. The more frequently farms are disinfected and culled, the higher the management efficiency with culling having a greater impact on management efficiency. Finally, the cost inputs of high and low-efficiency fish farms were analyzed, and it is recommended that wages, electricity, drugs, and oxygen should be kept at a reasonable level rather than excessive. However, the higher the inputs for mortality removal and disease management, the higher the management efficiency. In other words, improving the farm environment is the most important to achieve sustainability and management efficiency of Korean oliver flounder farming.
This study aims to establish the concept of fish welfare and develop guidelines for its implementation in South Korean aquaculture. As global awareness of animal welfare grows, scientific evidence shows that fish are sentient beings capable of experiencing pain and that stress has led to increased demand for welfare standards in aquaculture. International organizations like WOAH and the EU have set welfare standards for farmed fish, emphasizing their importance for health, productivity, and food safety. However, in South Korea, fish welfare is still an emerging concept with limited research. This study systematically defines fish welfare, assesses its feasibility in domestic aquaculture, and proposes guidelines tailored to local conditions. The findings highlight the need for gradual implementation, considering the unique biological and environmental factors in fish farming.
The purpose of this study is to construct an industry-sector-fishery competitiveness index, examine the types and changes of competitiveness, and derive implications by processing data from the Survey on the Current Status of Offshore and Inshore Fishery from 2013 to 2020 for this study. The main results of this study can be summarized as follows. First, considering the overall competitiveness of offshore fishery by industry and year, offshore octopus farm and the other five fishing businesses were relatively competitive. Second, considering the overall competitiveness of inshore fishery by industry and year, we found that shrimp trawl fishing and glass eel gill net fishing were relatively competitive. Third, offshore longline and the other four fishing businesses were relatively competitive between 2014 and 2020 by looking at the types of competitiveness based on the competitiveness index in the offshore fishery of management and fishing sectors by industry. Fourth, shrimp trawl fishing was relatively competitive between 2014 and 2020 based on the competitiveness index in the inshore fishery of management and fishing sectors by industry and year. The results of this study have some limitations in outlier treatment, grade assignment, and weight for aggregation. Therefore, research on the analysis of competitiveness index and type in offshore and inshore fisheries considering these limitations needs to be conducted in the future. In conclusion, the results of this study which were derived objectively and scientifically are expected to help the central or local governments determine the priority of support projects or investments such as fishing boat reduction project. To meet these expectations, a high level of quality control is required for data of the Survey on the Current Status of Offshore and Inshore Fishery underlying this study.
This study analyzed the export determinants necessary for establishing Korean seafood export strategies to ASEAN. According to the results of the analysis, the real GDP magnitude of the export target country and the previous seafood export volume were found to have a greater influence than the real exchange rate in the Korean seafood exports to ASEAN. Therefore, in order to expand Korean seafood exports, it is necessary to first select major export target countries based on real GDP, which represents the market size. In terms of market size, Indonesia is the most superior country among ASEAN countries. Among ASEAN countries, the second and third largest market sizes are Thailand and Singapore, and the countries with similar market sizes are the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia. Therefore, in order to expand Korean seafood exports to ASEAN, it is necessary to establish an export strategy centered on these top six countries. The real exchange rate, which is a price factor, was found to be a significant export determinant only in three ASEAN countries: Indonesia, the Philippines, and Singapore. Although the real exchange rate is a significant determinant influencing Korean seafood exports to ASEAN, its influence is not as general as real GDP. Therefore, it is necessary to additionally consider the real exchange rate only when establishing seafood export strategies for these three countries.
The purpose of this study is to identify bias-adjusted efficiency estimates and the determinants of efficiency in the Marine-Bio industry. Efficiency was estimated using the Bootstrap-DEA model, and efficiency determinants were analyzed by utilizing the dependent variables such as company age, number of employees, location within Marine-Bio clusters, R&D performance, and debt ratio. The efficiency analysis revealed that most of the DMUs belonged to the inefficient group with efficiency values below 0.7. The primary cause of inefficiency was identified as pure technical efficiency, which reflects the effectiveness of input combinations. In the analysis of efficiency determinants, it was found that the number of employees and the debt ratio had a positive (+) effect on efficiency. Conversely, engaging in R&D activities was found to have a negative (-) effect on efficiency.