Eco-Friendly Salt Marsh Restoration Using Fishery By-Products

Snapshot Solution
salt marsh restoration with volunteers
Korea National Park Service

IPCC recognizes seagrass beds, salt marshes, and mangroves as the three primary blue carbon ecosystems. Taean National Park features a diverse coastal environment  including salt marshes, coastal sand dunes, and seagrass beds. These habitats support a variety of species that are specially adapted to these environments. These areas are ecologically significant both as critical habitats and natural carbon sinks. However, ongoing coastal development and increasing visitors have led to continuous degradation and a reduction in their area due to human activities.

In the past, fishery by-products were classified as general waste. Improper disposal practices, including illegal dumping and uncontrolled accumulation along the coast, resulted in marine pollution, foul odors and decay. To address this issue, legislation was enacted to promote the recycling  of fishery by-products. In line with this initiative, the park launched a pilot project to restore salt marshes and reinforce the coastline using recycled oyster shells.

Last update: 07 Aug 2025
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Context
Challenges addressed
Erosion
Ecosystem loss
Scale of implementation
Local
Ecosystems
Salt marsh
Seagrass
Theme
Habitat fragmentation and degradation
Indigenous people
Location
대한민국 충청남도 태안군 안면읍
East Asia
Impacts

A total of 2,300 kg of oyster shells were used to restore an area of 500 m², and the installation of structures has been completed. Monitoring of terrain changes and vegetation re-establishment is currently underway. Structures made with oyster shell nets offer the advantages of high durability against wave energy and environmental friendliness, as they use marine-derived materials. Additionally, the project fosters collaboration between local volunteers and the national park to address community issues, while promoting the recycling of oyster shell waste as part of a sustainable resource management for fishery by-products. The Korea National Park Service is actively advancing eco-friendly restoration projects utilizing biodegradable materials and plans to expand these efforts to diverse marine environments, including salt marshes and coastal sand dunes.

Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)
GBF Target 1 – Plan and Manage all Areas To Reduce Biodiversity Loss
GBF Target 2 – Restore 30% of all Degraded Ecosystems
GBF Target 3 – Conserve 30% of Land, Waters and Seas
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 14 – Life below water
SDG 17 – Partnerships for the goals
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