Some 300 businesses nationwide must register by Dec. 20; illegal modifications to draw administrative penalties under tightened safety rules

This image is unrelated to the article. [Getty Images Bank]
This image is unrelated to the article. [Getty Images Bank]

The government is launching a mandatory registration system for fishing vessel builders and retrofitters to reduce safety accidents at sea. Unregistered businesses will no longer be permitted to build or modify fishing vessels, and shipyards that carry out illegal structural modifications will also face administrative penalties.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced Thursday that it has established facility and equipment standards for registering fishing vessel construction and modification businesses, with the new regime taking effect Friday.

The system converts what had previously been an unregulated, open trade into a licensed industry. The roughly 300 fishing vessel construction and modification businesses currently operating nationwide must complete registration with their regional fisheries management office by Dec. 20.

Any business that continues to operate without registration after Dec. 21 could face up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won ($19,500).

The new regime also tightens oversight of illegal structural modifications. Until now, only vessel owners who commissioned such work were subject to punishment; going forward, the shipyards that carry out the work will also be liable to administrative action, including suspension of operations.

Alongside the registration system, the ministry plans to strengthen the competitiveness of the domestic fishing vessel construction industry. It intends to establish a fishing vessel construction support center in Yeongam-gun, South Jeolla Province, by 2029, where registered businesses can share equipment and infrastructure, and will also provide fiscal support for smaller operators.

"We will use the registration system as an opportunity to raise the competitiveness of the domestic fishing vessel construction and modification industry and strengthen support for it," said Choe Hyeon-ho, director general for fisheries policy at the ministry. "We expect it will help reduce illegal structural modifications and create a safer fishing environment."


adastra@heraldcorp.com