Coast Guard: "No Evidence of Illegal Capture Such as Harpoon Marks"
A minke whale accidentally caught in a fishing vessel working about 22 km southwest of Maldo, Okdo-myeon, Gunsan-si, Jeonbuk, at around 8:30 p.m. on the 13th. Photo by Yonhap News
A minke whale caught in the waters near Gunsan, Jeollabuk-do, was sold for approximately 36 million won.
According to the Gunsan Maritime Police Station in Jeonbuk on May 14, a minke whale was accidentally caught at around 8:30 p.m. the previous day by a 9.7-ton fishing vessel operating about 22 km southwest of Maldo, Okdo-myeon, Gunsan-si. Bycatch refers to the capture of unintended species in nets set for specific types of fish.
If a whale is intentionally caught using harpoons or nets, the offender may face up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won. However, bycaught whales can be distributed and sold, which is why they are often referred to as a "lottery of the sea." For example, a minke whale weighing about 1.5 tons that was bycaught in Goseong, Gangwon-do in November last year was auctioned for 60 million won.
The minke whale bycaught this time measured 5 meters in length, 2.5 meters in girth, and weighed 1 ton. It was auctioned for 36.1 million won at the Bieung Port fish market in Gunsan on the morning of May 14.
The maritime police found no evidence of illegal capture on the minke whale and issued a "whale handling confirmation certificate" to the captain of vessel A, transferring the whale to him. An official from the Gunsan Maritime Police stated, "It was confirmed that the minke whale caught this time was not illegally captured, as there were no signs of harpooning or other illegal methods, so it was handed over to the captain. We will continue to monitor to ensure there are no cases of illegal capture."
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