South Korea Launches Quarterly Ocean Forecasts as Pollock Vanishes, Squid Collapses 90 Percent

South Korea's Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will begin publishing quarterly marine climate projection reports for fishers and aquaculture operators. Korean waters have warmed about 1.6°C over 58 years, more than twice the global average, while squid catches fell roughly 90% and pollock has not been commercially caught since around 2007.

• Korean waters warmed 1.6°C over 58 years vs 0.76°C globally
• Squid catches fell roughly 90% in a generation
• Heat-driven aquaculture losses hit 143 billion won ($107M) in 2024
• Forecasts rely on the station network, GloSea6 and KIOST-ESM