“Can I catch it now?” ... National Institute of Fisheries Science’s “Closed Season Lookup Service”

[Financial News] The National Institute of Fisheries Science (NIFS), headed by Kwon Sun-uk, said on the 12th that it had developed the Fisheries Resources Closed Season and Prohibited Size Lookup Service and begun operating it in earnest. The service allows fishers and recreational anglers alike to easily check closed seasons (periods when catching is prohibited) and prohibited catch sizes (sizes below which catching is prohibited) for each species.
The service integrates regulations for 53 species and shows in a single search whether closed-season and minimum-size restrictions apply, along with the legal basis. It also provides monthly closed-season calendars and regional information, and incorporates revisions from nine sources, including laws and official notices.
The service can be accessed via QR code or web app and used without installing anything or creating an account.
Regulations on closed seasons and prohibited catch sizes for each species were scattered across the Enforcement Decree of the Fisheries Resources Management Act, notices and announcements issued by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and city and provincial notices issued by local governments. This made them difficult to check, as the rules varied by date, region, and type of fishery even for the same species.
Inquiries such as “Is it okay to catch them now?” and “At what size, in centimeters, may they be caught?” have repeatedly been directed to the relevant agencies.

Kwon Sun-uk, head of the National Institute of Fisheries Science, said, “For regulations protecting fishery resources, such as closed seasons and prohibited catch sizes, to be effectively implemented in the field, members of the public must be able to check the relevant information accurately and easily. We will continue to improve the service by taking users’ feedback into account.”
[email protected] Byun Ok-hwan Reporter