Traditional shellfish harvesting on the former tidal flats of Seamangeum, South Korea

Description

Within the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, the tidal flats of the Yellow Sea are the most important refueling sites ("airports") for Arctic birds. The huge embankment of Saemangeum, which enclosed 400 km2 of tidal flats have decreased important refueling space for Arctic shorebirds significantly. At the same time the local people lost their grounds for traditional shellfish harvesting.