A system to support Korean fishery households that convert from raw feed to formulated feed will be implemented in April.

The Direct Payment will focus on protecting the environment of aquaculture farms on the coast and preventing fisheries resources from being indiscriminately abused. The bigger goal is to promote environmentally-friendly aquaculture with international competitiveness under the new WTO round – the Doha Development Agenda (DDA).

In this regard, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MOMAF) has set up guidelines and sent them last week to the Regional Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Offices under the Ministry.

These guidelines say that fishery households which would begin using formulated feed will be grantees if they perform the following requisites: 1) the grantee should be licensed (or permitted) or report for performing aquaculture fisheries (cage culture) according to the Fisheries Act; 2) the grantee will be chosen among fishing people and fisheries-specialized organizations such as the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives (known as the Suhyup), Fishing Village, and Collaborative; 3) the grantee must use the formulated feed exclusively.

The MOMAF has secured a budget of 5 billion won for this year and will assist the Aquafeed Research Center of the National Fisheries Research Development Institute and the Suhyup Feed Plant in developing and producing cost-effective formulated feed.

The Regional Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Offices, with the responsibility of aquaculture guidance, will take the lead and will provide up to 80% of the total amount of formulated feed by 2008.