Yeosu City Minimizes Damage from High Water Temperatures and Red Tides with Emergency Release of Farmed Fish

Preventing Mass Fish Deaths
Disaster Relief Funds Provided to Each Fish Farm

Yeosu City will urgently release farmed fish from sea cage aquaculture farms within its jurisdiction to minimize damage to cultured fish caused by high water temperatures and red tides during the summer season. Provided by Yeosu City

Yeosu City in South Jeolla Province announced on July 24 that it is carrying out emergency releases of farmed fish from offshore cage farms within its jurisdiction to minimize damage caused by high water temperatures and red tides during the summer season. This measure is a proactive response to prevent mass deaths of farmed fish, which are feared due to the ongoing high water temperatures.

This initiative is drawing attention as Yeosu City and South Jeolla Province actively proposed the need for preemptive action to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and the government has promptly accepted this proposal, making this the first emergency release implemented nationwide this year.

The fish species subject to release include Korean rockfish, mullet, black rockfish, and olive flounder. Support is provided to each fish farm within the scope of disaster relief funds, and only juvenile or intermediate-sized fish are eligible.

An additional 160,000 fish are scheduled to be released on July 30, and the remaining fish will also be released sequentially after monitoring the occurrence of high water temperature damage, conducting aquaculture status surveys, and performing disease inspections. In addition, after the release, the city plans to strengthen publicity targeting the local fisheries cooperatives and fishermen, and will implement protective measures such as gear restrictions and fishing bans for a certain period.

A city official stated, "Damage from high water temperatures and red tides caused by climate change is recurring every year," and emphasized, "We ask for the active cooperation of fishermen so that we can protect marine resources and prevent environmental pollution in advance through emergency releases."