Fragmented marine biological data needs integrated, inter-ministerial management

South Korea's marine ecosystem is under significant strain as ocean temperatures rise at an alarming rate, more than double the global average over the past 57 years. This rapid warming is causing a noticeable shift in marine life, with species like abalone migrating northward and tropical and subtropical organisms appearing across Korean waters.

The consequences are dire for marine biodiversity. Seaweed forests, crucial habitats and primary producers, are collapsing. The phenomenon of 'sea whitening' or 'coral bleaching' has affected approximately 37% of surveyed rocky intertidal zones along Korean coasts, with the East Sea experiencing a nearly 49% damage rate due to steep temperature increases. This widespread degradation is leading to a significant decrease in marine biomass across all coastal areas, including Jeju and the South Sea.

Compounding these environmental challenges is a fragmented approach to managing marine biological data. Despite surpassing 60,000 recorded species, the country's marine biological information is scattered across different ministries, each with its own classification systems and data management standards. The Ministry of Environment's 'National Species List' and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries' 'National Marine Biological Species List' often show discrepancies in classification and species notation.

This lack of a unified, inter-ministerial coordination body means that errors and omissions in existing data are not being rectified. The influx of tropical species further complicates matters, making it difficult to distinguish between naturally migrating species due to climate change and invasive alien species introduced through shipping. This confusion hinders accurate ecological assessments and effective management strategies.

The article argues that this data fragmentation has direct economic and ecological repercussions. Invasive species like the Mediterranean mussel are damaging native species and aquaculture facilities, while blooms of jellyfish, such as Nomura's jellyfish, are destroying fishing gear and reducing catch quality. The annual cost of high-temperature-related fisheries damage exceeds 100 billion won, threatening the livelihoods of fishermen and the broader regional economy. The author stresses the urgent need for a unified, inter-ministerial control tower to integrate data, enhance species identification through genomic analysis, and establish real-time monitoring systems in critical areas like the East Sea and Jeju.