A study has found that the damage to wildlife from marine debris has steadily increased over the past 20 years off the coast of South Korea. It has been revealed that even internationally endangered species are seriously affected.
The Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) announced on the 12th that it analyzed 428 cases of marine animal entanglement caused by marine debris occurring along the domestic coast, noting that marine debris poses a significant threat to the biodiversity of both land and seabed. The research findings were published in the international journal "Marine Pollution Bulletin" on Feb. 8.
This study was jointly conducted by KIOST and the East Asia Sea Community Ocean, analyzing data on the extent of damage reported by wildlife rescue and treatment centers across the South Korean coast from 2003 to 2023, as well as press releases, cases recorded by citizens on online platforms, and observations by scuba divers.
The investigation into cases of 77 marine animal species, including seabirds, sea turtles, fish, and marine mammals entangled in fishing lines, hooks, and discarded fishing gear, revealed that the number of incidents of marine debris entanglement has been increasing each year. Seabirds, such as the black-tailed gull, which forage in coastal or shallow water layers, were significantly impacted by fishing lines and hooks, while species like sea turtles and dolphins, which forage underwater, suffered greatly from discarded fishing gear.
Thirteen percent (10 species, 44 cases) of the affected marine organisms are protected species listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, including the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla).
Researcher No Hee-jin from KIOST's Ecological Risk Research Institute and Hong Seon-wook, representative of the East Asia Sea Community Ocean, said, "This study shows the tangible threat that marine debris poses to biodiversity and marine ecosystems," and noted, "The wildlife rescue and treatment centers and civic groups that have provided the data collected over the years have been a great help."
Lee Hee-seung, president of KIOST, stated, "The issue of marine debris is a global environmental challenge, and it is an important task that requires the international community to cooperate more closely to resolve the problem." He added, "I expect that the results of this study will play an important role in policy-making for marine environment conservation and enhancing public awareness."
References
Marine Pollution Bulletin (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.117623