S. Korea posts 3.71 million-ton fisheries output in 2020 to hit 4-year low

South Korea's fisheries posted a 3.71 million-ton output last year, down 3.8 percent from 2019 and marking the smallest since 2016, largely to sluggish aquaculture production and a fall in consumption.

The output was 3.26 million tons in 2016.

Last year's output from seaweed and oyster farming remained sluggish due to long rainy seasons, while those from deep-sea and inland fishing also dropped due to decreased fish stocks and a fall in consumption caused by the pandemic.

In terms of value, the output hit a record high of 8.7 trillion won last year, increasing 4.7 percent from a year earlier.

It also marked the fastest on-year gain since a 14.6 percent gain in 2017.