Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Issues First Jellyfish Warning Alert of the Year for the South Coast

Confirmed about 500 animals per 100㎡

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the National Institute of Fisheries Science issued an advisory alert for the moon jellyfish in the southern coastal waters (Jeonnam and Gyeongnam) on the 27th.

This is due to the confirmation of up to about 500 juvenile and adult jellyfish per 100㎡, mainly in the inner bays across the entire southern coastal area.

The moon jellyfish is a jellyfish species native to Korea; although its toxicity is mild, a large outbreak can disrupt fishing activities.

In particular, during the summer, with increased sunlight and rising temperatures, the seawater temperature in coastal areas is expected to rise sharply, accelerating the growth of jellyfish and leading to a steady appearance of large numbers of jellyfish.

Upon issuing the advisory alert, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries is operating a central countermeasure headquarters led by the Director of the Fisheries Policy Office, and in cooperation with local governments where the alert has been issued, plans to deploy regional fishing vessels to remove the jellyfish.

Additionally, to prevent jellyfish stings at beaches, they plan to install protective nets at beaches and strengthen surveillance activities to minimize damage.