NIFS announced that it newly identified the eggs of fish unrecorded in South Korea and seven new juveniles in conducting its research of fisheries resources in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) this year. 

As NIFS identified further unrecorded seven fish species typically native to subtrpical waters in this year’s research, proceded by last year’s research having seen the eight unrecorded species, it was confirmed that it is no longer unusual for subtropical fish species to appear in Korean waters. 

The research, which has been conducting since 2017, finds that every year sees the new and unrecorded fish species demonstrating that climate change has a direct impact on the species composition and the structure of marine ecosystem in the coastal waters off South Korea such as rising seawater temperature, changes in currents, etc. 

In Korean waters, the average water temperature has increased by approximately 1.2℃ over the past 20 years due to the strengthening Kuroshio Current, etc., driving the influx of tropical and subtropical fish, having significant ecological changes in marine environment. 

The president of NIFS (Mr. Choi, Yong-seok) said, “Climate change results the shifts in fish species in Korean waters where it is increasingly common to find newly appearing fish species.” He also said, “NIFS will actively embrace for the changes in marine ecosystem through ongoing scientific research and in-depth analysis, at the same time strengthening the scientific foundation of policy for fisheries resources management.“