Captured consecutively on April 12 and 4
A shark that attacks people has appeared in the waters off Busan, where many summer vacationers gather. It is a great white shark, classified as a ferocious shark, and this is the first time it has been found south of Pohang.
According to the Busan Coast Guard on the 27th, a great white shark was caught by a fishing boat operating near Taejongdae, Busan, on the 4th. On the 12th, another great white shark was caught by a fishing vessel while fishing. The shark's body length is 2 meters, and its weight is between 150 and 180 kg.
Sharks have been appearing in Korean waters since last year. Large sharks have appeared in various parts of the East Coast (from Goseong, Gangwon to Pohang, Gyeongbuk), raising safety concerns. Last year, there were 29 reports of large sharks being caught or found along the East Coast. This is an explosive increase compared to only one case in 2022. It is expected that the frequency will increase further this year. From the beginning of the year to early this month, there have been a total of 14 cases of sharks caught incidentally during fishing. Considering that shark sightings were concentrated in July and August last year, it is expected that reports will increase during the summer season.
The National Institute of Fisheries Science (NIFS) recently estimated that sharks feeding on warm-water fish species will move closer to the coast in pursuit of prey, based on the increase in catches of warm-water species due to rising water temperatures in the Korean Peninsula waters. The NIFS East Sea Fisheries Research Institute analyzed the stomach contents of a total of 11 large sharks caught incidentally in set nets in Gangwon and Gyeongbuk since early this year. The analysis confirmed that they had eaten many warm-water species such as yellowtail, flatfish, and squid. In particular, the recent catch of yellowtail along the East Coast averaged 6,709 tons over the past 10 years, which is a 430% increase compared to the average catch of 1,265 tons about 30 years ago.
There has been no research conducted yet on the appearance of sharks in Busan. The National Institute of Fisheries Science stated, "There is currently no data on the frequency of shark sightings along the Busan coast," adding, "More research is needed, but it is possible that sharks chasing prey were caught incidentally, as in the East Coast cases."
There have been a total of six fatal shark bite incidents reported in Korea. Except for a university student who died in July 1959 at Daecheon Beach in Boryeong, Chungnam, most victims were divers and fishermen.
Experts advise, "If you spot a shark when the water is knee-deep, you should immediately run out of the water," and "If the water is up to your chest, you should remain as still as possible to avoid being perceived as prey by the shark."
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