Bamboo Fishing Woes: An Urgent Call for Environmental Action
Bamboo fishing, a cherished Korean fishing tradition, is facing a crisis on the southern coast. Usually teeming with anchovies, this year, the nets are filled with cheap sardines, spelling trouble for fishermen. Rising water temperatures are believed to be the culprit, disrupting the delicate balance of the bamboo gillnetting grounds.
The Decline of Anchovies: A Deepening Crisis
In the heart of this crisis is Jukbangroo, a seasoned fisherman with 25 years of experience. Traditionally, this time of year should see nets brimming with anchovies. However, the scene has dramatically shifted. Anchovy sightings are scarce, and the bamboo nets, essential to the national fishing heritage, remain alarmingly empty.
The production of bamboo shoot anchovies has plummeted to a mere 25% of previous years on the southern coast, affecting all 23 bamboo shoots in Namhae-gun, Gyeongnam. Fishermen, like those in Jukbang-gup, are grappling with a harvest dominated by cheap sardines instead of the sought-after anchovies.
Unraveling the Causes: A Two-fold Challenge
Fishermen attribute this crisis to the surge in sardine shoals and the summer discharge of freshwater from the Namgang Dam, reducing salinity. Gyeongnam's anchovy production has plummeted by over 40% in the past two years, reaching 70,000 tons last year, with projections for a similar outcome this year.
Experts point to a core reason for the decline—the scattering of anchovy schools due to rising water temperatures. Temperatures 1.5 to 2.5 degrees above normal have forced the anchovies beyond their usual fishing grounds in the South Sea.
A Plea for Environmental Stewardship
As the southern coastal bamboo shoots gear up for consideration as a World Agricultural Heritage site next year, fishermen are sounding an urgent call. They implore the government to take swift action, including bolstering measures to protect anchovy stocks. The fate of this traditional fishing method and the delicate ecosystem it relies upon hangs in the balance.
#BambooFishing, #EnvironmentalCrisis, #AnchovyDecline, #ClimateImpact, #FisheriesConservation
