Request for Cadaver Recovery, Marine Environment Measurement Survey, and Detailed Analysis
Mayor Hong Nampyo visiting the site of mass fish deaths along the coast of Masanhappo-gu, Changwon City.
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] Hong Nampyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, Gyeongnam, visited the site of the mass fish die-off along the Masan Bay coast to investigate the cause.
According to the city on the 3rd, a complaint was first received on September 30th reporting a large number of dead fish, presumed to be herring, near the Marine Drama Set in Gusan-myeon, Masanhappo-gu.
The city immediately dispatched personnel to the site upon receiving the complaint and collected the dead fish.
On the 1st, dead fish were confirmed near Doman Port and Dagu Port in Jindong-myeon, and on the 2nd near the 3·15 Marine Nuri Park.
To prevent marine pollution and odor caused by the dead fish, the city deployed about 200 people including related officials, relevant organizations, and fishermen to each site to collect the carcasses.
Using one cleaning ship, six fishing boats, and seven vehicles, a total of 19 tons of carcasses were collected.
A city official explained, “Usually, multiple species of fish die off collectively at one location due to various causes such as marine water quality and fish diseases. However, in this case, only young herring were sporadically found in several areas.”
The city stated that it has begun investigating possible causes including temporary changes in sea surface temperature, marine pollution, and the possibility that fishing boats discarded young fish they caught.
The Southeast Sea Fisheries Research Institute was requested to conduct real-time marine environment measurements, and the National Institute of Fisheries Science was asked to perform a detailed analysis of the carcasses.
The city is monitoring the entire jurisdictional waters for fish die-offs and emphasized that if additional incidents occur, it will mobilize all administrative resources in cooperation with related departments and organizations to collect carcasses and identify the cause.
Once the cause of the die-off is revealed, the city plans to inform citizens and the media and establish linked plans such as preventive measures.
Mayor Hong said, “We will not only promptly collect the dead fish but also conduct thorough investigations to identify the cause of the die-off, prevent recurrence, and find ways to preserve the marine environment.”
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