This study aimed to establish the public interest functions of fisheries and fishing villages, which is intended to help introduce and expand the public-purpose direct payment system in the fisheries sector. Firstly, this study looked at trends related to the public interest functions of domestic and foreign cases in similar fields in order to get implications for establishing public service functions in fisheries and fishing villages. Secondly, three criteria were defined for establishing the public interest functions of fisheries and fishing villages. Thirdly, the public interest functions of fisheries and fishing villages were defined through prior research, analysis of overseas cases, and consultation with experts in the fields of fisheries and fishing villages. As a result, the six public interest functions and the 14 detailed functions were defined. Finally, this study established a direction for preserving and improving the public interest functions of fisheries and fishing villages, and presented strategies for achieving them.

This study is aimed at finding policy directions for Korean fisheries and fishing villages by using Delphi method for fisheries experts. Fisheries experts have highly evaluated the achievements of fostering aquaculture industry, seafood export support measures, and natural disasters relief and recovery arrangements among the policies promoted as so far. And it was recognized that policies such as fishery resources management, creation and recovery of fishery resources, improvement hygiene and seafood safety, and provision young fishermen with training and capacity building will be important. Future megatrends, for example changes in food consumption pattern, climate change, and demographic structure changes are expected to have a significant impact on fisheries and fishing villages. The Delphi survey indicates that the most important policy objective is to secure a stable fisheries production. In other words, fisheries policy in the future should be aimed at suppling sustainable seafood for popular consumption. Finding strategies and action plans that can achieve this goal will be an important policy issue. In conclusion, it is necessary that a number of fundamental researches carry out in Korea, which can lead to finding out a multifunctionality of fisheries and fishing village. In addition, it is important to expand the scope of fisheries policy, which can consider not only the fisheries producers but also seafood consumer’s and young fishermen perspectives. Furthermore, it recommends that fishery policy needs to include fishery related industry as well as application of 4th industrial revolution technology to fishery