Globally signifi cant fi sh in the Yellow Sea Ecoregion Fish of the Yellow Sea Ecoregion and A table of indicator fi sh species and their global signifi cance Criteria for habitat and vulnerable Indicator Species species of global signifi cance their habitats Scientifi c names FishBase name and/ Criterion 1: Criterion 2: Criterion 3: or FAO English name Endemism Vulnerable Commercially (other common name) Species Important Species (not defi nite, need Larimichthys polyactis (Small) Yellow croaker CKJ C K J further defi tion) CKJ Clupea pallasii pallasii Pacifi c herring CK C (isolated stock) CKJ Gadus macrocephalus Pacifi c cod C K Cva Kva (isolated stock) © Xianshi JIN Fleshy prawn Penaeus chinensis CKJ C K C Kva Jva small yellow croaker (Chinese/ Korean shrimp) Pagrus major Red seabream C Cva Jva Trichiurus lepturus Largehead hairtail C K J Pleuronectidae spp. Flatfi shes(mainly Cleisthenes herzensteini) C C C K J Cleisthenes pinetorum Pointhead founder Kvo Kva Scomber japonicus Chub mackerel C K J Engraulis japonicus Japanese anchovy C C Cvo K Scomberomorus niphonius Japanese Spanish mackerel C C Kva Acetes spp. Acetes shrimp C K J C K C Takifugu obscurus River puffer K J K © Image provided by GeoEye and NASA SeaWiFS Project. © Xianshi JIN © Xianshi JIN Atrobucca nibe Blackmouth croaker J Sohachi, a species of fl atfi shes Satellite photo of Yellow Sea Ecoregion Small Yellow Croaker –once the most common fi sh of the Yellow Sea Ecoregion Lepidotrigla microptera Redwing searobin K J Argyrosomus japonicus Japanese meagre J Chimaera phantasma Silver chimaera (Ghost shark) J Trachidermus fasciatus Roughskin sculpin C J Fish of the Yellow Sea Ecoregion Coilia nasus Estuary tailfi n anchovy C K J K (no data) J Muraenesox cinereus Daggertooth pike conger K J About the area A unique cold water Olive fl ounder as a representitative of ’ Paralichthys olivaceus CKJ The Yellow Sea Ecoregion is one of the world s largest areas of mass in the centre of fl ounders continental shelf. The Yellow Sea Ecoregion encompasses the Bohai the Yellow Sea Yellowback seabream as a representitative Dentex tumifrons Jva Sea, the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea. It is a transboundary There is a 70-80 metre of sea breams area and extends from the coastlines of China, North Korea, and deep depression in the Lophius litulon Yellow goosefi sh K Kva South Korea to a depth of 200m. central part of the Yellow Protosalanx chinensis Chinese noodlefi sh K Valuable nutrients flow from the Yangtze and Yellow rivers and Sea. This depression Sebastes koreanus Korean rockfi sh K holds a cold water mass Raja pulchra combine with sunlight and shallow waters to create an area that Mottled skate K K Kva © Xianshi JIN throughout the year that Pampus echinogaster Silver pomfret C K teems with abundant marine life. Pacifi c cod provides an important Periophthalmus modestus Shuttles hoppfi sh K habitat for cold-temperate Collichthys spp. e.g.) Bighead croaker K Diversity of fi sh species fish species that are (genus) Swordtip squid as a representative of In the Yellow Sea alone, 276 species of fish have been recorded. K J otherwise found in more Photololigo spp. squids & cuttlefi sh e.g. Photololigo edulis Compositions of about 100 commercial fisheries species in the Loligo spp. northern seas. 200 m Common squids C Cvo Yellow Sea are: 66% demersal fish (bottom dwelling fish), 18% (Loligo japonica, L. beka) depth line © Xianshi JIN pelagic fish (swimming in the water column), 7% cephalopods Todarodes pacificus Japanese fl ying squid Cvo K (octopus and squid), and 7% crustacea (shrimps), of which 45% is Largehead hairtail Portunus trituburculatus Gazami crab(Blue crab) K K C K warm-water species, 46% warm-temperate species, and 9% cold- Acipenser sinensis Chinese sturgeon C IUCN CR temperate species. In the Bohai Sea, 109 species of fi sh are found Borders of the Yellow Sea Ecoregion Notes: Note 3: Cva: the species is commercially important by value in and data in South Korea shows that 339 species of fi sh are on the Each indicator species were assessed against Criterion 1, 2 and China, Kva: the species is commercially important by record for the Yellow Sea. 3. When an indicator species meets Criterion 1 according to data value in South Korea, Jva: the species is commercially available in China, then it is indicated by C (China). important by value in Japan What is an ecoregion? Note 4: Cvo: the species is commercially important by volume in China Biodiversity is not spread evenly across the Earth but follows complex patterns determined by climate, geology and the evolutionary history of the planet. These Note 1: In Criterion 1,2 and 3 columns, C indicates that a criterion patterns are called ecoregions. WWF defi nes an ecoregion as a large unit of land or water containing a geographically distinct assemblage of species, natural is applicable to the corresponding species according to communities, and environmental conditions. data from China, K: South Korea, J: Japan The boundaries of an ecoregion are not fi xed and sharp, but rather encompass an area within which important ecological and evolutionary processes most Note 2: IUCN CR indicates the species is classifi ed as Critically Photos by: strongly interact. Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Xianshi JIN, GeoEye and NASA SeaWiFS Project

Publishers: WWF, Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute (KORDI), Korea Environment Institute (KEI) Fish and People Threats to Fish and Fisheries Fish - A source of food and income and a foundation of life Fish in the Yellow Sea Ecoregion is one of the most intensively exploited for coastal communities fisheries resources in the world. Increasing pollution and extensive Fisheries in the Yellow Sea Ecoregion generate a significant reclamation of coast areas have also affected reproduction of fi sh. income as well as are a major source of food. A wide variety of fi sh, over 100 species, have commercial value. In China, the total A case of Small Yellow Croaker – From the one of the most Date of publication: March 2006 fi sheries output value from fi ve provinces and municipalities along abundant fi sh to up to 80% reduction Small yellow croaker was one of the most abundant species in About the Yellow Sea Ecoregion Planning Programme: The Yellow Sea Ecoregion Planning Programme is an international the Yellow Sea was about 80 billion RMB in 1997, accounting for total fi sh catch in 1950’s and 1960’s in the Yellow Sea. In South partnership between WWF, KORDI, and KEI for conservation of biodiversity of the Yellow Sea Ecoregion. about 1/3 of the national fisheries output. In South Korea, the catches from the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea on average Korea, it accounted for about 1/3 of the total catch in 1960’s. Contact: for the last 30 years account for 30% of the national fisheries However, the catch of small yellow croaker dramatically declined in following years because of overfi shing. In China, small yellow WWF China: Li Lifeng, WWF China,Telephone:+86 10 65227100,Telefax:+86 10 65227300, lfl[email protected], www.wwfchina.org production. Fisheries also have helped to support coastal communities to croaker was the most dominant species in 1959 by occupying WWF Japan:Tobai Sadayosi, WWF Japan, tel +81 3 3769 1713 fax +81 3 3769 1717, [email protected], www.wwf.or.jp maintain their livelihoods and community structure. 37% in the catch, but it declined to only 9% in 1981. In South KORDI: Pae Seonghwan, KORDI, tel +82 31 400 7752, [email protected], www.kordi.re.kr Korea, catch of small yellow croaker was similarly reduced by more than 80% between 1957 and 1983 while fi shing intensity KEI: Lee Changhee, KEI, [email protected], www.kei.re.kr double from 1970’s to 1980s. This pamphlet was funded by the Japan Fund for Global Environment. UNDP/GEFYellow Sea Project is a sponsor of this pamphlet. In the 1990’s, data from China shows some signs of recovery of small yellow croaker. 4 The Yellow Sea Ecoregion - a Global Treasure, a Global Concern Global Treasure Meanwhile, in 2002, WWF and other Yellow Sea Ecoregion (203) has been conservation NGOs and research institutes © WWF Conservation Science Programme selected by WWF as one of the Global 200 in China, South Korea and Japan began Yellow Sea Ecoregion (203) ecoregions, areas that are key to global an assessment of Yellow Sea Ecoregion biodiversity conservation. This marine biodiversity. The objective of this regional ecosystem is also one of the Large Marine partnership was to prioritise conservation Ecosystems (LME) of the world. actions based on scientifi c data.

Global Concern An urgent need: Identifying The global importance of the Yellow conservation priorities at a Sea Ecoregion has been recognised transboundary ecoregional scale by governments and the international In order to conserve the full array of community in recent years. Starting in biodiversity and ensure the use of its services LME #48 Yellow Sea in Large Marine Ecosystems 1992, the Chinese and South Korean by people are sustainable, it is necessary governments together developed to conduct assessments beyond political a transboundary approach to the boundaries and at an ecoregional scale. management of the Yellow Sea area with the assistance of UNDP, UNEP, the World An ecoregional approach helps ensure that Bank, and NOAA. In 2005, a UNDP/GEF we do not overlook areas that are particularly project, the Yellow Sea Large Marine unique or threatened, allowing for smarter Ecosystem project, was offi cially launched trade-offs and greater positive impacts that with participation of the Chinese and are more likely to endure over time. South Korean governments. UNDP/GEF Yellow Sea Project Methodology - finding priority fish species and their Ecologically Important Areas WWF/KORDI/KEI Yellow Sea Ecoregion Cooperation among scientifi c experts from small but well defi ned and also they are critical Planning Programme China, South Korea, and Japan areas to maintain populations. Scientists also Scientists from fisheries and ocean research pointed out that cold-water mass area is a institutes in China, South Korea and Japan unique and an important habitat because they have worked together to review and identify support those isolated cold temperate species priority fi sh species and their habitats of global populations. signifi cance. Together they have set a common Experts then mapped the important habitat methodology and reached an agreement on areas of each indicator species. This allowed priorities. scientists to visualise areas that are important for more than one species. Biological Assessment Using a further set of criteria, experts then Results prioritised the previously selected indicator Fish Ecologically Important Areas (FEIAs) are species and their habitat. To do this, scientists areas that experts deem critical for fi sh species. took into account representativeness of habitat, 40 indicator species were assessed under the Scientific experts from China, South Korea, endemism, threatened status, commercial criteria to identify globally significant species Japan and other countries cooperate to importance, intact habitat, and genetic diversity and their habitat. Of these indicator species, analyse priority areas. reduction. According to this common criterion, 14 species met the endemism criterion, 22 each scientist analysed nationally available data species met vulnerable species criterion, and 23 to select appropriate indicator species and their species met commercially important species important habitat. Then they compiled national criterion. Those indicator species that met any Biological Assessment papers based on data of these criteria were identified as globally from China, South Korea, and Japan. signifi cant species. Then habitat areas of these In addition to fi sh, scientists have added some globally signifi cant species, where those areas squid and crab species that are important to are critical for the survial of the species, were fi sheries in the Yellow Sea Ecoregion identified as indicator species ecologically important areas. In total, 16 FEIAs were Priority Area Analysis identifi ed. Using a further set of criteria, experts then The Yellow Sea Ecoregion Planning Programme prioritised the previously selected indicator will publish full results of biodiversity species and their habitat. Scientists agreed that assessment and priority area analysis so that spawning aggregation areas are particularly they become accessible by scientists and Important areas for a single fish species important areas because they are geographically (Takifugu obscurus) according to Korean government agencies in the future. data. A call to actions The analysis and results provided key data for community, national and local government developing a regional conservation strategy agencies, legislative bodies, non-government and monitoring its successes. In particular, the organisations including religious groups, the results will help to: general public, the media, donor communities, 1) Establish a network of representative marine industries, consumers, and youth groups all protected areas at the ecoregional scale; have important roles to play. 2) Evaluate effectiveness of existing protected For example, national and local government areas; agencies can contribute by strengthening cross- 3) Monitor status of biodiversity. sectoral coordination in the establishment and improvement of the management of MPAs. In order to conserve these globally significant Filling major knowledge gaps in ecology and Fish Ecologically Important Areas (FEIAs ) fish species and their habitats, various human impacts on indicator species is also an were identified by overlapping important stakeholders need to take concerted actions. important action to take. areas for many different species Community-based organisations, the scientifi c