The Korean aquaculture industry was generally began in the 1970s and has gradually increased. Now, the number of households is about 7,068 and the scale of an aquaculture farm is about 248,014 ha; the value of all production in the industry is estimated to be about 1602.2 billion won. The aquaculture industry is very valuable and important for future food resources. However, the aquaculture industry was damaged by several marine ecological disturbance causing organisms. The Ascdiella aspersa colonized on the shell of scallop and then scallops were detached from rope. The patterns of damage in the aquacultures were observed in Tongyeong (oyster), Geojedo (oyster), and Gangneung (sea squirt) in June, 2017, as well as in Tongyeong (oyster) in November, 2017 by SCUBA divers. The species Halichondria bowerbanki, Bugula neritina, Mytilus galloprovincialis, Balanus amphitrite, Ascidiella aspersa, Ciona intestinalis, Didemnum sp, Styela plicata in Tongyeong, M. galloprovincialis, A. aspersa, C. intestinalis, D. vexillum, S. plicata in Geojedo, and M. galloprovincialis in Gangneung were all usually found in their farms. The marine ecological disturbance causing organisms gave rise to a reduced number of aquaculture products.

해양보호구역 일부 지역을 포함하고 있는 서천 유부도 해안과 순천만 그리고 다도해해상국립공원 여수 안도 등에 해양쓰레기가 다량 표착하고 있다. 이곳에 표착해 있는 해양쓰레기는 해류와 바람 및 조류 등의 영향으로 유입되고 있는 것으로 조사되었다. 연구지역 중 유부도는 서해로 흐르는 금강하구에 위치하고 있으며, 계절별 희귀철새들이 대규모로 날아오는 국내최대 철새도래지다. 이곳에 폐그물과 낚싯줄 같은 플라스틱류가 다량 표착해있었다.