Sustainability of the Jeju Haenyeo Fisheries System in the Context of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS)
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sustainability Article Sustainability of the Jeju Haenyeo Fisheries System in the Context of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) Wonseob Song Department of Geography Education, College of Education, Jeonbuk National University, 567, Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do 54896, Korea; [email protected] Received: 26 February 2020; Accepted: 23 April 2020; Published: 25 April 2020 Abstract: According to the Brundtland Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED), the concept of sustainability emerges from the expectation of development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This notion of sustainability is highly related to the implication of the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The haenyeo (women divers) fisheries system of Jeju Island, South Korea, serves as an empirical case that illustrates that the core meaning of GIAHS is placed on the concept of sustainability. The most important objective of this case study is to explore how the five main values of GIAHS—(i) food and livelihood security, (ii) agro-biodiversity, (iii) local and traditional knowledge systems, (iv) cultures, value systems, and social organizations, and (v) landscape and seascape features—can be interlocked, and how the concept of sustainability can emerge through this interlocked relationship. In doing this, the value of both GIAHS and the Jeju haenyeo fisheries system is illuminated. Keywords: sustainability; GIAHS; Jeju haenyeo fisheries system; landscape 1. Introduction The main purpose of this paper is to reveal the meaning of sustainability in the haenyeo (women divers) fisheries system of Jeju Island, South Korea, in the context of the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). First, the meaning of sustainability in the Jeju haenyeo fisheries system is “the capacity for continuance into the long-term future” [1] of the Jeju haenyeo fisheries system. Second, the context of GIAHS is indicated by the five main values of GIAHS: (i) food and livelihood security, (ii) agro-biodiversity, (iii) local and traditional knowledge systems, (iv) cultures, value systems, and social organizations, and (v) landscape and seascape features [2]. In Jeju Island, South Korea (see the left-hand photo of Figure1 for the location of Jeju Island), haenyeo are professional female divers who dive to the bottom of the sea to catch seafood without an underwater breathing apparatus. The Jeju haenyeo fisheries, or the sea-diving industry on Jeju, emerged as islanders turned to the abundant marine resources found on the rocky seafloor in an attempt to compensate for a constant shortage of agricultural products due to the poor soil on the volcanic island. The haenyeo fisheries on Jeju are carried out in 102 fishing villages along the coasts of the island (in the right-hand photos of Figure1). The Jeju haenyeo fisheries system geographically covers fishing grounds within a distance of 1.5 km from the coastline and a depth of 7 m at low tide, as well as the land area of the 102 fishing villages, which accounts for a total of 71,563 hectares (see the red belt in the right-hand photos of Figure1). Haenyeo gather nine major marine products in total: Hizikia fusiformis, Gelidium amansii, Eklonia cava, Undaria pinnatifida, Apostichopus japonicas, Anthocidaris crassispina, Turbo sazae, Haliotis discus hanai, and Haliotis diversicolor (see Figure2 for details). Sustainability 2020, 12, 3512; doi:10.3390/su12093512 www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability Sustainability 2020, 12, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 18 Sustainability 2020, 12, 3512 2 of 18 Sustainability 2020, 12, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 18 Figure 1. Location of Jeju Island, South Korea. The haenyeo fisheries on Jeju are carried out in 102 fishing villages along the coasts of the island (in the right-hand photos of Figure 1). The Jeju haenyeo fisheries system geographically covers fishing grounds within a distance of 1.5 km from the coastline and a depth of 7 m at low tide, as well as the land area of the 102 fishing villages, which accounts for a total of 71,563 hectares (see the red belt in the right-hand photos of Figure 1). Haenyeo gather nine major marine products in total: Hizikia fusiformis, Gelidium amansii, Eklonia cava, Undaria pinnatifida, Apostichopus japonicas, Anthocidaris Figure 1. Location of Jeju Island, South Korea. crassispina, Turbo sazae, HaliotisFigure discus 1. hanai,Location and of Haliotis Jeju Island, diversicolor South Korea. (see Figure 2 for details). The haenyeo fisheries on Jeju are carried out in 102 fishing villages along the coasts of the island (in the right-hand photos of Figure 1). The Jeju haenyeo fisheries system geographically covers fishing grounds within a distance of 1.5 km from the coastline and a depth of 7 m at low tide, as well as the land area of the 102 fishing villages, which accounts for a total of 71,563 hectares (see the red belt in the right-hand photos of Figure 1). Haenyeo gather nine major marine products in total: Hizikia fusiformis, Gelidium amansii, Eklonia cava, Undaria pinnatifida, Apostichopus japonicas, Anthocidaris crassispina, Turbo sazae, Haliotis discus hanai, and Haliotis diversicolor (see Figure 2 for details). Hizikia fusiformis Gelidium amansii Eklonia cava Hizikia fusiformis Gelidium amansii Eklonia cava Undaria pinnatifida Apostichopus japonicas Anthocidaris crassispina Undaria pinnatifida Apostichopus japonicas Anthocidaris crassispina Turbo sazae Haliotis discus hanai Haliotis diversicolor Figure 2.2. SeafoodSeafood that that the the Jeju haenyeo usually harvest (Photo: Choi, Choi, Kwang Kwang-Sik-Sik at Jeju National University of South Korea). Jeju haenyeo use these marine products to create various dishes, and the dishes cooked with the products harvested by haenyeo have been the main part of meals for the people of Jeju since ancient times. The Jeju haenyeo fisheries system has made it possible to secure a livelihood not only at the householdTurbo level sazae but also at the local economyHaliotis discus level. hanai Among the legendsHaliotis of the diversicolor chart in Figure 3, “village fisheries” are, in fact, the haenyeo fisheries. The village fisheries account for as little as 10% of Figure 2. Seafood that the Jeju haenyeo usually harvest (Photo: Choi, Kwang-Sik at Jeju National University of South Korea). SustainabilitySustainability 20202020,, 1122,, xx FORFOR PEERPEER REVIEWREVIEW 33 ofof 1818 JejuJeju haenyeohaenyeo useuse thesethese marinemarine productsproducts toto createcreate variousvarious dishesdishes,, aandnd thethe dishesdishes cookedcooked withwith thethe productsproducts harvestedharvested byby haenyeohaenyeo havehave beenbeen thethe mainmain partpart ofof mealsmeals forfor thethe peoplepeople ofof JejuJeju sincesince ancientancient times.Sustainabilitytimes. TheThe 2020 JejuJeju, 12 hhaenyeo,aenyeo 3512 ffisheriesisheries ssystemystem hashas mademade itit possiblepossible toto securesecure aa livelihoodlivelihood notnot onlyonly atat3 ofthethe 18 householdhousehold levellevel butbut alsoalso atat thethe locallocal economyeconomy level.level. 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