Submitted by
youngran.lee
on Mon, 07/21/2025 - 07:26
General Information
Resolution
49233
IUCN Constituent
IUCN Species Survival Commission 2021-2025
IUCN Constituent type
IUCN Species Survival Commission 2021-2025
Period covered
Geographic scope
East Europe, North and Central Asia
Country/Territory
Korea (RK)
Actors involved in implementing this Resolution:
IUCN Members
Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Republic of Korea ( Republic of Korea )
IUCN Commissions
IUCN Species Survival Commission 2021-2025
IUCN Secretariat
I do not know
Other non-IUCN related organisations
Plan Ocean
II. Implementation
Activities carried out to implement this Resolution
Activity
Scientific/technical activities
Description and results/achievements of activities:
Necropsy was conducted on three fresh finless porpoise carcasses at Konkuk University. Cause of death was most likely due to suffocation from bycatch, as bacterial test results came back negative and no notable lesions were noted other than the lungs. This was Korea’s first collaboration between researchers and a natural history museum to prepare skeletal specimens for future scientific and educational use at Kyung Hee University Museum.
Status
Completed
Activity
Education/Communication/Raising awareness
Description and results/achievements of activities:
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries funded Plan Ocean to hold a marine-animal welfare booth at the Animal Welfare Expo hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, providing public education on ocean ecosystems, threats, rescue and rehabilitation of marine wildlife and finless porpoise bycatch mitigation, including hands-on gear demonstrations. The event improved public understanding and supported broader advocacy on sustainable marine management.
Status
Completed
Activity
Education/Communication/Raising awareness
Description and results/achievements of activities:
Plan Ocean held its second annual necropsy-based training programme, “A Day with a Wonderful Whale,” for veterinary students and supporters, complemented by a lecture from an Australian biologist on rescue and rehabilitation. The work glove found in the stomach during the necropsy represents a highly unusual case of foreign-object ingestion for a species known to selectively target its prey. This event strengthened practical skills and broadened public understanding of marine mammals.
Status
Completed
Activity
Policy influencing/advocacy
Description and results/achievements of activities:
Plan Ocean co-hosted a press conference with various NGOs, for structural reforms in Korean fisheries to promote sustainable and humane commercial fishing practices. We covered MMPA-related U.S. export barriers in Korea. This issue was raised in a national assembly meeting however there was limited progress on the matter.
Status
Completed
Activity
Convene stakeholders/Networking
Description and results/achievements of activities:
MOF and Plan Ocean organised the first national expert meeting of the Finless Porpoise Conservation Network on 11 August, bringing together over 30 participants from 14 government, academic, and research institutions. The meeting connected researchers with government officials to share current research and identify opportunities for coordinated national action to support transboundary conservation efforts.
Status
Completed
Activity
Convene stakeholders/Networking
Description and results/achievements of activities:
MOF and Plan Ocean held an international FPCN expert meeting alongside the ASCM conference, sharing annual progress and discussing themes for joint research in the coming year. Members also explored integrating future FPCN meetings into ASCM to improve accessibility and strengthen regional scientific collaboration.
Status
Completed
Activity
Convene stakeholders/Networking
Description and results/achievements of activities:
We joined the ESCAP–NEAMPAN expert meeting with officials and researchers from China, Japan, Korea, and Russia to discuss marine mammal conservation. National policies, MPAs, and research on finless porpoises and spotted seals were reviewed. The meeting opened pathways for regional collaboration to strengthen foundational research. Plan Ocean emphasized the importance of international cooperation for NRFP conservation in the Yellow Sea.
Status
Completed
Activity
Convene stakeholders/Networking
Description and results/achievements of activities:
MOF, KOEM and Plan Ocean co-organised the Expert Meeting on Marine Mammal Conservation in the Yellow Sea on 4 December, with Korean and Chinese researchers and NGOs. We reviewed regional data, shared threats, and research needs. Participants agreed on coordinated monitoring, improved MPA and OECM planning, and closer engagement with fishers, leading to the establishment of YESMaP, a new transboundary partnership for Yellow Sea marine mammals.
Status
Completed
Future action / activity
Fundraising
Description
Plan Ocean ran a four-month Kakao Together campaign to support the formation of project ‘Go, Go, Go’, a response team for stranded marine mammals. A small amount of funding was procured, which will supporta few rapid on-site response missions that will open doors for research based conservation.
Challenges / obstacles encountered in the implementation of this Resolution
Lack of financial funds
Lack of scientific knowledge
Lack of political will
Describe any challenges encountered in implementing this Resolution and the measures taken
Limited funding, weak political prioritisation, and gaps in scientific data continue to hinder effective finless porpoise conservation, restricting research capacity, international collaboration, and policy action.
Please report on the result /achievement of the actions taken
Lack of financial funds
Despite securing initial funding for upcoming research, additional resources are still needed to conduct more comprehensive necropsy work and expand the scope of our scientific analyses.
Limited funding has made it challenging to convene international FPCN members for annual meetings. To address this, we are exploring options to integrate the meeting into the ASCM conference, which many FPCN members already attend, ensuring continued collaboration while reducing logistical and financial barriers.
Lack of political will
Following the implementation of the MMPA import provisions, part of Korea’s seafood export to the United States was restricted due to unsustainable fishing practices. Although this issue was brought to the National Assembly, it received limited attention, largely because U.S.-bound seafood represents less than 5 percent of Korea’s total export volume.
Lack of scientific research
During the YESMaP meeting, participants noted that both Korea and China would benefit from more up-to-date population and abundance assessments, as well as improved bycatch documentation. Korean researchers shared that an updated report may be published in 2026.
Despite securing initial funding for upcoming research, additional resources are still needed to conduct more comprehensive necropsy work and expand the scope of our scientific analyses.
Limited funding has made it challenging to convene international FPCN members for annual meetings. To address this, we are exploring options to integrate the meeting into the ASCM conference, which many FPCN members already attend, ensuring continued collaboration while reducing logistical and financial barriers.
Lack of political will
Following the implementation of the MMPA import provisions, part of Korea’s seafood export to the United States was restricted due to unsustainable fishing practices. Although this issue was brought to the National Assembly, it received limited attention, largely because U.S.-bound seafood represents less than 5 percent of Korea’s total export volume.
Lack of scientific research
During the YESMaP meeting, participants noted that both Korea and China would benefit from more up-to-date population and abundance assessments, as well as improved bycatch documentation. Korean researchers shared that an updated report may be published in 2026.
Identify and briefly describe what future actions/activities are planned for the implementation of this Resolution
Future action / activity
Convene stakeholders/Networking
Description
In 2026, the FPCN international expert meeting may be hosted in Taiwan.
Report status
Published