This study investigates the impact of rising sea surface temperature (SST), increasing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, and precipitation variability (PREC) on Korea’s coastal and offshore fisheries production (COFP) from 1993 to 2023 using an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model. The results confirm a long-run cointegration relationship, where a 1% increase in SST, CO₂, and PREC is associated with respective declines of 3.52%, 0.82%, and 0.34% in COFP, respectively, suggesting persistent negative effects of ocean warming, acidification, and hydrological variability on fisheries production. Robustness checks using Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) and Canonical Cointegrating Regression (CCR) validate the stability of the ARDL results. The short-run analysis reveals that past production levels significantly influence current COFP, while SST fluctuations exhibit delayed but economically meaningful effects. The error correction term (−0.75, p < 0.01) confirms a rapid adjustment toward equilibrium following short-term deviations. These findings underscore the necessity of climate-resilient fisheries management. Policy recommendations include adaptive harvest regulations, climate-integrated stock assessments, and enhanced international cooperation for transboundary fish stocks. Additionally, expanding Marine Protected Areas, promoting climate-resilient aquaculture, and strengthening stock enhancement programs through selective breeding and seed release of climate-adapted species are essential for sustaining fisheries under climate change.

This study investigates the relationship between climate change and Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) production in South Korea and assesses the resulting economic impacts through a comprehensive analysis. Using fixed effects panel regression models, the study evaluates key climate factors sea surface temperature, salinity, rainfall, and tidal flat area to quantify their effects on clam production across four major regions (Chungnam, Jeonnam, Jeonbuk, and Gyeongnam) from 2000 to 2022. Future production changes and associated economic losses are projected under Shared Socio-economic Pathway (SSP) scenarios (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP5-8.5), with adjustments to account for discrepancies between observed and predicted climate data. The findings indicate that Manila clam production will decline consistently across all SSP scenarios, with maximum total production reductions and associated long-term (2041 ~ 2050) economic losses reaching 29.2% and KRW 258.8 billion under SSP1-2.6, 37.9% and KRW 335.6 billion under SSP2-4.5, and 52.0% and KRW 460.7 billion under SSP5-8.5, respectively. Among the four regions, Jeonnam was identified as the most vulnerable, followed by Gyeongnam, Jeonbuk, and Chungnam, reflecting region-specific differences in exposure and adaptive capacity. These results emphasize the extent of economic damage even with mitigation efforts, underscoring the urgent need for adaptive strategies. The study highlights the importance of high-temperature-resistant clam strains, aquaculture techniques, and region-specific management policies to sustain the Manila clam industry. Such measures will be critical to mitigating economic losses and ensuring the long-term sustainability of this valuable fisheries sector in South Korea.

This study examines how extreme heat is associated with harvest adjustment in sea-cage aquaculture, using Korean rockfish farming as an empirical setting. We combine monthly size-specific harvest and fish stock data from 2011 to 2025 with daily surface water temperatures and sea-cage finfish farm locations to construct measures of heat exposure. Using distributed-lag models and forward cumulative harvest analysis, we find that greater heat exposure is associated with higher contemporaneous harvest, particularly for fish weighing between 500 and 600 g, and with lower stock in the same size class. Five additional hot days are associated with about 11% higher harvest and about 10% lower stock for fish weighing between 500 and 600 g. For cumulative harvest of fish weighing 500 g or more, however, the positive association is statistically significant only in the current month and is no longer statistically significant once the cumulative window extends to two months or longer. For fish weighing 600 g or more, the association turns significantly negative at longer cumulative horizons. These patterns are consistent with an intertemporal reallocation of harvest rather than a sustained increase in harvest. For heat-exposed sea-cage aquaculture, evaluating early-harvest responses therefore requires attention to subsequent fish stock and harvest, not current harvest alone.

This study analyzed the economic feasibility of utilizing Undaria pinnatifida sporophylls (UPSs), a major by-product of seaweed aquaculture, as feed for Hanwoo cattle. It employed a partial equilibrium framework to quantify processing costs, avoided disposal costs, substitution savings from reduced grain imports, and monetized methane abatement benefits, calibrated with national statistics on Hanwoo production and feed use for 2022–2024. The analysis revealed that, in the absence of environmental valuation, additional collection, transport, and drying costs (KRW 25,714–102,857 per head at 0.25–1.0% inclusion) outweighed savings from disposal avoidance and import substitution. When methane abatement was priced under Korea’s Emissions Trading Scheme, however, net benefits emerged, ranging from KRW 22,757 to 40,859 per head, with welfare gains of KRW 19,108 million at 1.0%. Sensitivity analysis confirmed a strong dependence on carbon prices: benefits were substantial at KRW 40,000 per ton of CO₂, remained positive yet relatively limited at KRW 20,000, and shifted into negative territory at KRW 10,000. These findings demonstrate that UPS feed utilization can advance climate mitigation and feed security, provided it is supported by effective carbon pricing and producer-oriented policies.