INTRODUCTION OF KOREA-SOUTH PACIFIC RESEARCH CENTER (KSORC) IN CHUUK, FEDERATED STATE OF MICRONESIA

Abstract

The Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute (KORDI) established the Korea-South Pacific Ocean Research Center (KSORC) at Chuuk State, Federated State of Micronesia in 2000, in recognition of the role that ocean research and breeding technology play an important role in aquaculture development through collaborative relationship formed KORDI and Chuuk State. The KSORC focuses much of ocean research on coastal systems in tropical environment. Approximately 15 faculty, staffs, and students are engaged in marine science activities at the center. The KSORC faculty includes numerous researchers such as biological, chemical, and physical oceanography; genetics; aquaculture; aquatic management; and GIS-based computational modeling.The KSORC research proceeds on two broad fronts. The first is the aquaculture study and hatchery-based breeding of the black-lip pearl oyster to produce black pearl. The second is the assessment of potential marine resources in tropical area. The current focus of KSORC's research is evaluation of the commercial and ecological importance of the larval Pictada margaritifera. Use of land-based hatchery is widespread in larval breeding and could play an important role in aquaculture. KSORC will upgrade its instrumentation to become the leading research center for the useful tropical marine resources, with plans of expanding its program into one of the most significant efforts in the world.