First red tide in Geoje kills hundreds of thousands of fishes

The first damage by the red tide was caused in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province. Although the government has initiated a control work, it is highly likely that the red tide would spread to the nearby sea areas of South Jeolla Province and North Gyeongsang Province.

Geoje City on Monday said, “A mariculture farmer surnamed Yang (aged 65) reported that the red tide has caused a mass killing of fishes at his farm in Jeogu-ri.” It is assumed that some 330,000 fishes which include rock beam died to the phenomenon.

In South Gyeongsang Province, the first red tide watch of the year was raised in Geoje city and the outskirt of Namhae-gun on August 2. As of 8:00 p.m. on August 5, red tide advisory was raised at Tongyeong and nearby sea area in the southern sea, which was replaced with a red tide warning at Goheung in South Jeolla Province and Geoje in South Gyeongsang Province at 09:00 p.m. on August 13. It appears that the red tide was caused by a heat wave that pushed up the sea water temperature from August.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries conducted the first round of control work with 1,097 ships from August 11 to 15 to no avail. According to National Fisheries Research & Development Institute, it is likely for the damage to expand to the southern area in Gangwon Province as favorable temperature continues by mid-September. Setting August 18 to 27 as the second period for intensive prevention, the ministry plans to come forward to stop the spread of red tide.

manman@donga.com