On August 5 (Tuesday) at the Tidal Flat Research Center in Gunsan, Jeonbuk, NIFS hosted a public-private-institute consultative meeting with a target vitalizing manila clam industry, where the participants discussed on comprising an association and exploring measures to improve productivity in a sustainable way. 

Around 60 people -from the concerned fishing communities of 13 administrative districts from Incheon to Jeonnam, local governments, the Korea Fisheries Infrastructure Public Agency, NIFS, etc.- engaged in the discussion to share different viewpoints and opinions. 

They discussed mainly on ▲the measures for sustainable improvement in manila clam productivity, ▲the formation of association to serve as a single window for the sites, ▲forging a partnership between private-public-institute for policy development, etc. The consultative meeting, particularly, was very meaningful as it brought an apportunity to publicize the necessity of fishermen-centric association, shaping its role and function. 

Manila clam, also called ‘the People’s clam’, has shown the persistent fall in the yields* after marking the highest record (approximately 84,000 tons) in 1989. Around 2010, in particular, the yields has fluctuated due to the changes in habitat environment and the hikes in the number of competitor species under climate change. In 2024, the yields fell by 49.1% to 22,000 tons, showing overall crisis of the industry.

*Provisional estimates of annual yields(tons): 83,843 tons (1989) → 38,909 tons (2000) → 36,248 tons (2010) → 45,755 tons (2020) → 21,547 tons (2024) 

NIFS has conducted multilateral research for the recovery of manila clam industry. By conducting the research on improving manila clam productivity, technology to control mud shrimp (competitor species), etc., it has contributed to the stable foundations for manila clam culture. It also conducts researach on clarifying the causes of mortality under climate change and on limit of survival in parallel. Moreover, NIFS strengthens its support for site-friendly climate change response through region-oriented research by securing the technology of habitat suitability assessment.  

The president of NIFS (Mr. Choi Yong-seok) said, “To ensure manila clam to keep being served on the Korean tables, NIFS will keep forging a flexible partnership between fishermen and concerned organizations. Going forward, we will also spare no effort to implement multi-level support including policy recommendation considering the feedback from the fields, institutional improvement, etc.”