Chungnam Province announced on the 29th that it will operate the ‘Mobile Catch Reporting App Installation and Use Support On-Site Service’ for fishermen from October 1 to 31.

This on-site service is in preparation for the ‘Sustainable Coastal Fisheries Development Act,’ scheduled to take effect on June 17, 2027. Under this act, fishermen will be required to report catches, transshipments, and landings through the catch verification app.

As of this month within the province, only 217 out of the 3,015 target fishing vessels—a mere 7.2%—are registered.

The province plans to increase the registration rate by providing field-centric administrative services, addressing the low registration rate among elderly fishermen caused by unfamiliarity with mobile devices and procedural inconveniences.

The main targets for registration support are purse seine fishing vessels and coastal fishing vessels (gillnet, modified stow net, stow net, trap, etc.) that are prioritized for the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) system for the 2026–2027 fishing season.

The on-site support team, jointly formed by local governments, fisheries cooperatives (Suhyup), and fishery management offices, will directly visit fishing village community offices and vessel gathering areas. They will provide 1-on-1 customized assistance with app installation and membership registration (identity verification, linking vessel numbers/license information), alongside hands-on practical training on how to input fish species and catch volumes.

A provincial official stated, "Using the catch reporting app is essential for the sustainable management of marine resources and the establishment of a transparent fishing order," adding, "Through on-site support, we will lower the digital barrier for fishermen and do our utmost to ensure that the law, taking full effect in 2027, settles stably in the field."

[Copyright (c) Global Economic Times. All Rights Reserved.]