South Korea Regains Commercial Fishing Permit for Antarctic Toothfish After 28 Years

The 45th annual meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) was held in Hobart, Australia, from October 19 to 30, 2026. The meeting approved South Korea's resumption of commercial fishing for Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni, Dissostichus eleginoides) in Antarctic Subarea 88.3. The Chinese market usually calls this fish Chilean sea bass. Commercial fishing has been prohibited in this area since 1998, and South Korean distant-water fishing vessels have regained permission to enter the area for fishing after 28 years.

South Korea's Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced the news on November 6. Subarea 88.3 is located west of the Antarctic Peninsula and covers parts of the Bellingshausen Sea and the Amundsen Sea. Because scientific data sufficient to assess the biomass of the local toothfish stock had previously been lacking, CCAMLR has prohibited directed commercial fishing in the area since 1998 under Conservation Measure 32-02.

The reopening is not a simple lifting of the fishing ban but a management adjustment built on long-term scientific surveys. Starting in 2016, the National Institute of Fisheries Science (NIFS) of South Korea, in cooperation with South Korea's distant-water fishing fleet, conducted consecutive scientific surveys in Subarea 88.3. The surveys were carried out under CCAMLR Conservation Measure 24-01, and over ten years accumulated biological data on local toothfish, providing a basis for assessing stock status and adjusting fishing management measures.

South Korea's Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said the results of the ten-year joint survey were internationally recognized and were an important basis for the resumption of the fishing permit. For South Korea's distant-water fishery, the reopening of Subarea 88.3 means new space for its Antarctic toothfish operations, but actual commercial fishing must still comply with conservation measures and annual management requirements set by CCAMLR.

At present, the specific annual commercial catch limit and the list of South Korean vessels authorized to operate have not yet been clearly confirmed in verified public information. It should be particularly noted that the research survey limit for Subarea 88.3 previously announced by CCAMLR is not equivalent to the annual quota after this resumption of commercial fishing.

Among the vessels that South Korea previously used in scientific surveys in the area was a distant-water fishing vessel named Kingstar. CCAMLR vessel records show that the vessel is operated by South Korea's TNS Industries Inc. and was previously authorized to carry out related operations in Subarea 88.3, with target species including Antarctic toothfish. However, this record corresponds to the earlier research survey authorization, and it cannot yet be concluded on that basis that TNS Industries has obtained eligibility for this resumption of commercial fishing.

In addition to restoring fishing in Subarea 88.3, the South Korean delegation also pushed for the adoption of two conservation measures at this CCAMLR meeting. Of the 17 proposals submitted by member states, only 3 ultimately became binding conservation measures, and both of South Korea's proposals were adopted.

One concerns the international trade of toothfish caught with gillnets. The new measure stipulates that, starting in 2030, international commercial trade in toothfish caught with gillnets is prohibited, covering waters under the jurisdiction of the Antarctic Treaty as well as the high seas outside the Convention area. Gillnets hang vertically in the water column and easily cause bycatch of seabirds and marine mammals; this restriction extends the relevant management requirements to the international trade stage.

The other measure prohibits setting off fireworks or detonating explosives on fishing vessels operating in Antarctic Convention waters, with permitted explosive devices limited to certified maritime distress and safety equipment. The provision aims to regulate fishing vessel activity in Antarctic waters and reduce unnecessary safety risks.

CCAMLR was established in 1982 and is responsible for the conservation and rational use of Antarctic marine living resources. It currently has 27 members, including China, South Korea, Japan, the United States, Australia, New Zealand and the European Union. South Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official Kim Jeong-rye serves as vice chair of the Commission and is responsible for the krill management working group; Jeong Sang-deok, a researcher at South Korea's National Institute of Fisheries Science, serves as vice chair of the Scientific Committee.

South Korean Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Hwang Jong-woo said the reopening of Subarea 88.3 reflects the results of long-term cooperation between the government and distant-water fishing companies in conducting scientific surveys, and South Korea will continue to base fishery resource management and fishing activities on verified scientific data.

The annual quota, list of authorized vessels and specific operating arrangements after the resumption of commercial fishing in Subarea 88.3 still need to be clarified in relevant CCAMLR management documents and subsequent announcements by the South Korean government.