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Lifting of the Ban on Nighttime Fishing in Incheon and Gyeonggi Coasts, an Area Four Times the Size of Seoul

  • Date

    2026.02.11.

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    150

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Lifting of the Ban on Nighttime Fishing in Incheon and Gyeonggi Coasts, an Area Four Times the Size of Seoul
- Expected to increase annual income for more than 900 vessels by KRW 13.6 billion with deregulation after 44 years
- Full-scale implementation after a trial run during the peak fishing period (March to June) and evaluation
 
Night fishing along the coast in the Incheon and Gyeonggi region will be allowed starting March for the first time in 44 years. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) announced that it has revised the Public Notice of Temporary Fishing or Navigation Restrictions in the Waters of Incheon Metropolitan City—which had restricted nighttime fishing and navigation in the region—to improve fishing conditions for fishermen.
 
Nighttime navigation and fishing in certain waters off Incheon and Gyeonggi Province such as Chochi-do and Palmido have been banned since 1982 to ensure national security and maintain order, in accordance with Article 16 of the Fishing Vessel Safety Operation Act. However, fishermen have been demanding improvements, complaining of difficulties fishing because of travel times of up to 5 hours from the departure port to the fishing area and limited fishing hours from sunrise to sunset.
 
As such, MOF gathered opinions from local governments and relevant agencies through consultative meetings and—based on the discussions—revised the Public Notice on Temporary Fishing and Navigation Restrictions on the Coast of Incheon Metropolitan City. As a result, fishing vessels registered in Incheon Metropolitan City and Gyeonggi Province that have submitted a safety management plan will be allowed to navigate and fish at night in the West Sea south of 37° 30′ starting in March, during the blue crab fishing season.
 
This regulatory improvement will expand fishing grounds by 2,399 ㎢, which is approximately 4 times the area of Seoul. More than 900 fishing vessels operating in the area are expected to catch an additional 3.1 thousand tons of seafood products and realize an additional income of approximately KRW 13.6 billion annually.
 
“Fishermen from Incheon and Gyeonggi Province operating in the West Sea coastal waters have been restricted from engaging in fishing activities for national security reasons, and we expect this regulatory improvement to contribute to revitalizing the local economy. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will continue working to improve fishing conditions in border waters through active consultations with the relevant organizations, including the Ministry of National Defense and the Korea Coast Guard,” Kim Sung-beom, Acting Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, said.
 
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