Investigating eco-efficiency and its determinants in South Korean offshore fisheries

In this study, changes in total factor productivity of 12 Korean offshore fisheries between 1997 and 2009 were estimated through the Malmquist productivity index, which is a nonparametric method. Also, the cause of such changes in productivity of each fishery was analyzed more specifically by segmenting into factors for technological progress and tech- nical efficiency. As a result of this analysis, the total factor productivity change of the entire offshore fisheries was -6.0 %. Changes in the technical efficiency and technological level factors, respectively, contributed 0.2 and -6.2 % to this rate of decrease in total factor productivity; that is, inactivity of technological progress led to the decrease in productivity of the offshore fisheries. In addition, technological progress and technical efficiency were found to differently influence the change in total factor productivity of each fishery. In order for each fishery to improve productivity, better rational fisheries management policies by the government and efforts by the fishing industry and individual fishing business units must accompany factors that promote productivity increase.

The aim of this study is to research attributes of fishermen's occupational accidents for investigating the measure of risk control on situational condition in the Korean offshore and coastal fishing vessel. Using data of fishermen's occupational accidents are from National federation of fisheries cooperatives for 2013. The results were as belows; Occupational accident occurrence rate was 29.5‰, slips & trips and struck by object and contact with gear were shown severe occurrence pattern. Occupational accident occurrence rate of offshore fisheries was 130.2‰, coastal was 16.9‰, specially the risk rates were severely high in several type of danish seine, stow net and offshore trap. Death rate by accidents was 10.6‰ and by fall into the water in occurrence pattern was 5.5‰.

We investigated the changes of main climate factors and their relationships with the catches of offshore fisheries of the Republic of Korea over the past 30 years (1981 to 2010), using a trend analysis and Pearson’s correlation analysis. This study focused on seven fish species that have been preferred in Korean cuisine for centuries. Not only the air temperature, but also the sea surface temperature (SST) on the coast of Korea has risen (p < 0.05) in the period. The rise in SST over 30 years is significantly correlated with the rise in temperature (p < 0.01), but not with precipitation. Over the past 30 years, catches of anchovies and squid have increased significantly, while Alaska/walleye pollock has become almost extinct (p < 0.01). The analysis of this study indicates that cold water fish species have decreased or disappeared in Korean fisheries and have been replaced by warm water fish species. Our findings suggest that the fish species caught in Korean offshore fisheries have changed due to climate change, especially global warming. These results also suggest that there may be a threat to the food security of Koreans, so it is necessary to take measures to protect this food resource.

This paper presents the energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission assessments of Korean offshore fisheries. The consumption of energy by fisheries is a significant concern because of its attendant environmental effect, as well as the cost of the fuel consumed in fishing industry. With the global attention of reducing GHG emission and increasing energy efficiency of fuel, the seafood industry needs to further understand its energy use and reduce its GHG emission. In the present study, the amount of energy consumed and the GHG emission of Korean offshore fisheries in a period from 2009 to 2013 were examined. Offshore fisheries accounted for 24% of Korean production in 2013 and 60% of fuel consumption related GHG emission. Whereas the total GHG emission intensity of this sector improved slightly between 2009 and 2012; as such emission decreased by approximately 1.9%, which increased again in 2013. The average amount of total GHG emission in this five years period was 1.78 × 106 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent/year (t CO2 eq. y−1). Active fishing gear was found to consume 20% more fuel than passive gear. However, the production from passive gear was 28%, lower than 72% from active gear. The reason for this is that less abundant stationary resources are harvested using passive gear. Furthermore, the consumption of fuel was significantly influenced by the fishing method. Implementation and development of new fishing technologies and methods are important for improving energy efficiency and reducing the climate impact on fisheries. To realize these purposes, the fishery management system needs to be established by centralizing on energy efficiency and climate effect.

Samsung Heavy gets green light for LNG-SOFC powered wind turbine installation vessel

Estimation of Total Factor Productivity and Its Determinants in South Korean Offshore Fisheries

South Korea is surrounded by the sea on three sides. The characteristics of offshore wind resources vary from region to region due to the influence of the distribution of the coastline and differences in roughness length and atmospheric stability between the coast and the sea. In particular, turbulent gusts and low-level wind shear occurring near the hub height of the wind turbine within the atmospheric boundary layer have a significant effect on the load of wind turbines. These severe weather phenomena are closely related to atmospheric stability. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine differences in wind resource characteristics in the South Korean offshore and coast in relation to variations in atmospheric stability using observation data from the HeMOSU-1 meteorological tower in the West Sea and the Boseong meteorological observation tower on the southern coast. On the southern coast, changes in sea and land breezes are observed throughout diurnal and nocturnal periods, with an atmospheric stability distribution similar to that of land, which is unstable during the day and becomes more stable at night. On the other hand, the stable ratio continues to dominate in the west offshore. In the case of coastal areas, low-level wind shear occasionally occurs near the general wind turbine hub height approximately over 100 m due to the influence of winds from the sea. This study shows that when constructing an offshore wind farm, it is necessary to first analyze the characteristics of local coastal and offshore wind resources for more efficient and safe wind farm construction and operation.

Global Energy Industry's high oil prices persist while their petroleum and gas production areas are entering the decline phase. More and more the drilling facilities used to bore oil from deeper depths are advancing further out into the oceans, which cause the development of "OFFSHORE" ship manufacturer facility's production demands to increase. The "OFFSHORE" ships provide a living space or L.Q (Living Quarters) for crewmen who work on the water far away from any mainland for extended periods of time. This research analyzes the LQ areas and the characterization of interior designs of different types of "OFFSHORE" ships that were built in South Korea. Also using overseas countries' Classification Society, known as "NORSOK," and analyzing their own design guidelines in conjunction with the research, the process of interior design and baseline data research was used to blueprint the new LQ areas. According to the results of the research, where ships get comprised of characteristics and operations by standards of the Classification Society's RULE, has the greatest effect on the design and design method of the LQ area. The research also shows that a conservative shipbuilding market of the Shipbuilding Company and ship owners' feelings are steadily changing to more open mindedness of acceptance. Therefore, the Korean Classification Society has to provide the new design principle to correspond to the international regulations and more various interior design plans of LQ areas needed to be present based on the new design guidelines. The capacity of the South Korean OFFSHORE shipbuilding industry is the world's top leader; however, the interior design of the LQ areas are still based from outdated designs from the 1980's. Hopefully these research results will be the cornerstone to help the shift from the outdated designs of the LQ areas to more practical modern designs.

제주 바다목장 해역의 크기별 식물플랑크톤 조성비 및 물질순환 특성을 파악하기 위해 2008년 4월에서 11월까지 4회 현장조사를 하였다. 제주 바다목장 해역의 표층에서 초미세플랑크톤은 <TEX>$0.03{\sim}0.84{\mu}g/L$</TEX>에서 평균 <TEX>$0.30{\mu}g/L$</TEX>로 17.3%, 미소플랑크톤은 <TEX>$0.22{\sim}3.93{\mu}g/L$</TEX>에서 평균 <TEX>$1.35{\mu}g/L$</TEX>로 78.0%, 소형플랑크톤은 <TEX>$nd{\sim}0.24{\mu}g/L$</TEX>에서 평균 <TEX>$1.73{\mu}g/L$</TEX>로 4.7%를 차지하였다. 10m 수층도 측정값에서 다소 차이는 있지만 경향은 표층과 매우 유사하여, 계절에 따라 엽록소 a의 측정값은 변화하지만, 미소플랑크톤 조성비는 연중 높게 나타났다. 또한 제주 바다목장 해역의 크기별 엽록소 a의 분포는 지리적으로 인접한 우리나라 연안해역이나, 쿠로시오나 쓰시마난류의 영향을 받는 동중국해 및 일본연안보다도 계절풍 이후의 열대 해역 연안환경과 유사한 것으로 나타났다. 즉 제주 바다목장 해역의 물질순환은 전통적인 먹이사슬보다는 저차영양단계는 미세먹이망으로 구성되어, 기초생산은 영양염류 공급보다 미소동물플랑크톤의 포식압 등의 top-down 동태에 의해 조절될 가능성이 큰 것으로 판단되었다. To understand size fractioned chlorophyll a and material cycle characteristics in Jeju marine ranching area (JMRA), 4 times of survey were conducted from April to November 2008. Picoplankton on the surface in JMRA was on average, <TEX>$0.30{\mu}g/L$</TEX>(annual mean(M):17.3%) in the <TEX>$0.03{\sim}0.84{\mu}g/L$</TEX> range, accounting for 17.3%. Nannoplankton and picoplankton was on average, <TEX>$1.35{\mu}g/L$</TEX>(M:78.0%) in the <TEX>$0.22{\sim}3.93{\mu}g/L$</TEX> range, and <TEX>$1.73{\mu}g/L$</TEX>(M:4.7%) in the nd ~ 0.24 range, respectively. The 10m layer was similar to the surface. The measured values changed according to the measurement times but the nanoplankton composition ratio was higher throughout the year. In addition, the size fractioned chlorophyll a distribution in JMRA was similar to that of tropical sea area affected by the Monsoon rather than South Korean offshore coast geographically adjacent to the East China Sea and Japan coastal waters affected by the Kuroshio/Tsushima warm currents. That is, the material cycle of JMRA consists of a microbial food web rather than traditional food chain at a lower trophic levels. Primary production is deemed to have a higher possibility of being adjusted by top-down dynamics, such as micro-zooplankton grazing pressure rather than nutrients supply.