Analysis reveals increased vessel collisions and illegal fishing in the Korea-Japan EEZ, highlighting safety risks.
This study examined the impact of concentrated fishing operations by Korean vessels near the Korea-Japan Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) boundary on maritime safety. Since the suspension of the bilateral fisheries agreement in 2016, Korean vessels have increasingly clustered near the EEZ line, heightening risks of vessel and gear collisions and potential incursions into Japan’s EEZ. Using data from the Fisheries Information System (FIS), vessel positions in the southeastern waters of Korea (fishing grounds 106-3, 106-5, and 106-6) from July 23 to 29, 2025 were analyzed. Results showed that single trawl vessels frequently concentrated along the EEZ boundary, except during the bright moon period, with average distances shorter than the required net deployment width (0.737 nautical miles), increasing collision and safety risks. Some vessels operated within 0.03-0.04 nautical miles (55-74 m) of the boundary, indicating possible incursions into Japan’s EEZ. These findings suggest that competitive fishing near the EEZ is not only a fisheries issue but also a source of maritime accidents, illegal fishing, and diplomatic friction. Policy measures such as enhanced safety education, GPS plotter-based warning systems, expanded digital monitoring, and renewed bilateral cooperation are recommended. Despite limited scope, the study provides baseline data for vessel safety and Korea-Japan fisheries management.
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Lim et al. (2025) studied this question.