The marine ecology of waters around the easternmost Dokdo islets in the East Sea has been turning subtropical over the last decade.
 
The National Fisheries Research and Development Institute said Tuesday that after surveying the surrounding waters of Dokdo for the past decade, it has found an increase in subtropical species, like coralfish and multicolor rainbowfish.
 
The institute said that underwater living organisms have grown abundant and have enriched the marine ecosystem. It noted that 125 different kinds of seaweed living in waters near Dokdo not only serve as a breeding ground and hideout for small sized fish, but also provide food to abalones and sea urchins.
 
The institute also said that surface water temperatures for the East Sea have grown warmer by one-point-three degrees Celsius over the past 46 years, while the waters around Dokdo have risen one-point-five degrees in just the past ten years.
 
The institute added it has completed drafting an underwater ecological map of the Dokdo islets, including vivid features of the area’s geology, environment and different species of fish.