Ferocious Sharks Frequently Appear Along Domestic Coasts
Shark Sightings Increasing Recently
A shark similar in size to the great white shark featured in the movie 'Jaws' was caught off the coast of Pohang, Gyeongbuk.
According to the Pohang Coast Guard on the 8th, a fishing boat captain discovered a dead bull shark caught in a gillnet off the coast of Janggi-myeon, Nam-gu, Pohang, that morning.
According to the Pohang Coast Guard Station on the 8th, a fishing boat captain discovered a dead starry smooth-hound shark caught in a gillnet in the waters off Janggi-myeon, Nam-gu, Pohang City that morning. [Photo by Yonhap News]
The bull shark, nearly 7 meters in length, is comparable in size to the Jaws shark (7.5m) and is the second largest shark after the whale shark. Fortunately, unlike the man-eating Jaws shark, the bull shark is known to be docile and does not attack humans.
A Pohang Coast Guard official said, "Sharks are often spotted along the East Coast of Gyeongbuk, so fishermen, divers, and leisure activity participants need to be especially cautious. When encountering a shark, avoid provocative actions such as shouting or stabbing with a harpoon, immediately leave the area, and report the sighting right away."
In the past 63 years, 6 people have died and 1 injured from shark attacks
Among the approximately 400 shark species worldwide, about 27 are aggressive sharks that attack humans, including the great white shark, blue shark, mako shark, and shortfin mako shark. On Korea’s East and West coasts, 7 to 10 species of aggressive sharks occasionally appear.
Earlier, around September, a large blue shark, known as a 'man-eating shark,' was caught off Homigot, Nam-gu, Pohang.
Earlier in September, a large blue shark, known as a 'man-eating shark,' was caught in the waters off Homigot, Nam-gu, Pohang City. [Photo by Captain Kim Daesung of Daeseongho]
At that time, Kim Daesung, captain of the Daeseongho who caught the shark, said, "I thought I had hooked a large yellowtail, but suddenly a large shark jumped out of the water, which startled me."
He added, "The shark hooked on the fishing line jumped above the water 3 to 4 times to shake off the hook from its mouth," and "Since August, sharks have been frequently sighted off Pohang, including Homigot. Out of 10 trips, I see sharks about 8 times."
About 30 shark sighting reports on the East Coast this year
A shark carcass presumed to be a great white shark, discovered by a fisherman fishing near Janghang Port, Sokcho, on the morning of June 23, and reported to the coast guard. [Photo by Yonhap News]
In fact, there have been about 30 shark sighting reports this year along the East Coast, including Pohang, Yeongdeok, and Sokcho. This is unusually high compared to previous years.
As a result, some East Coast beaches have installed shark repellent nets. Experts explain that the increased shark appearances are due to sharks that live in warmer waters moving northward along the East Coast, following rising sea temperatures and prey.
Meanwhile, in Korea, over the past 63 years, 6 people have died and 1 person has been injured due to shark attacks. All of these incidents occurred on the West Coast and were caused by great white sharks.
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