Title: Mass Death of Sardines Raises Concerns for a Repeat Event
Introduction
There are growing indications that the unsettling spectacle of a mass sardine die-off, which transformed the waters off Masan, Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do into a putrid nightmare last year, might be set to repeat itself. The recent discovery of a school of dead sardines off Nuri Marine Park 3/15 in Masan Happo-gu has raised concerns about a potential recurrence of the eerie phenomenon.
Suspicion of a Reoccurring Tragedy
Changwon City received a report on the morning of the 11th, around 9 o’clock, about the presence of dead sardines in the waters off Nuri Marine Park 3/15. While some sardines were found floating on the surface, the majority were discovered lifeless at the bottom of the water. Typically, it takes about 24 hours for sardines to rise to the water’s surface after death, suggesting that these deaths occurred relatively recently, between dawn and the time of discovery.
In an effort to identify the cause of this tragic event, Changwon City collected some of the dead sardines and sent them to the National Institute of Fisheries Science, under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. The results of this investigation are anticipated to be released within a week.
Possible Measures and Official Statement
With the potential for further sardine casualties, authorities plan to initiate a comprehensive campaign to collect the carcasses using fishing boats and heavy equipment once they surface. Moreover, the collected sardine remains are scheduled to be incinerated at Changwon City’s food waste recycling facility.
An official from Changwon City stated, “This incident marks the first instance of mass sardine deaths this year. We will not ascertain the number of casualties or determine the cause until we commence the collection process and receive the findings from the National Fisheries Research Institute.”
Revisiting Last Year’s Tragic Event
In Changwon, a similar occurrence took place last year in the Jinhae Bay area, including the waters off Masan. Approximately 226 tons of dead sardines were retrieved from Masan Bay and Jinhae Bay between September 30 and October 29. The putrid odor resulting from this mass die-off caused distress among local traders and residents.
The National Institute of Fisheries Science determined that the sardines suffocated due to oxygen deprivation as no disease-causing pathogens were found during the investigation. Sardines are more susceptible than anchovies and herring, which belong to the same herring family, to an insufficient oxygen supply. Last year, a ‘hypoxic water mass’—an oxygen-depleted water body—appeared in the affected sea area, leading to the mass deaths.
Continuing Concerns
The National Institute of Fisheries Science has now forecasted another occurrence of sardine masses along the southern coast, as observed last year. The domestic sardine catch had witnessed a decline until recent years, with no record in 2006. However, there has been a gradual recovery, with hauls reaching 2,400 tons in 2011, 8,100 tons in 2017, and 12,000 tons just last year.
Past Incidents Reflecting Dire Consequences
In a similar vein, last July witnessed a large number of deceased sardines washing ashore in Oedo-dong, Jeju, transforming vast stretches of rocks into a somber resting place for the unfortunate marine creatures.
It is imperative that authorities closely monitor the situation and take necessary measures to mitigate the potential environmental impact and safeguard the delicate marine ecosystem.
On the morning of the 11th, a school of dead sardines floats in the sea off Nuri Marine Park 3/15 in Masan Happo-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do. /A reader is provided
There are signs that the mass death of sardines that turned the waters off Masan, Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do into a stinking den last fall will be repeated this year.
According to Changwon City on the 11th, a report was received at around 9 o’clock in the morning that a school of dead sardines had been found in the waters off Nuri Marine Park 3/15 in Masan Happo-gu.
Some of the sardines were floating above the water, but most of them were found to be dead bodies sinking to the bottom of the water. An official from Changwon City said, “It usually takes about 24 hours after death to surface on the water,” and added, “It is assumed that he died relatively recently, between dawn and this morning.”
Changwon City collected some dead bodies floating on the water and sent them to the National Institute of Fisheries Science of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to determine the cause. It was expected that it would take about a week for the results to come out.
It is intended to carry out a full-scale sardine carcass collection campaign using fishing boats and heavy equipment once the carcasses have surfaced. Additionally, the collected carcasses are scheduled to be incinerated at Changwon City’s food waste recycling facility.
An official from Changwon City said, “This is the first case of mass deaths from sardines this year. The number of sardines that died and the cause will not be known until the collection begins in earnest and the results of the National Fisheries Research Institute come out.”
Porcelain collects sardines that died en masse near Masan Port, Masan Happo-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do in October last year./News 1
In Changwon, there was a mass die-off of sardines last year in the Jinhae Bay area, including the waters off Masan.
According to Changwon City, about 226 tons of dead sardines were collected from Masan Bay and Jinhae Bay in Changwon over a period of about a month between September 30 and October 29 last year. Nearby traders and residents were disturbed by the foul smell caused by the mass death of sardines.
The National Institute of Fisheries Science concluded that the cause of death of the sardines was suffocation due to a lack of oxygen, citing the fact that no pathogens that could cause mass death were found at the time. Sardines consume more oxygen than anchovies and herring, which are the same species of herring, and are therefore vulnerable to a lack of oxygen. Last year, a ‘hypoxic water mass’, a mass of water depleted of oxygen, occurred in the area of the sea where there were mass deaths.
The National Institute of Fisheries Science predicted that a school of sardines would appear on the south coast this year like last year. Recently, the domestic sardine catch was so small that there were no records in 2006, but it has been steadily increasing, reaching 2,400 tonnes in 2011, 8,100 tonnes in 2017, and 12,000 tonnes last year.
Last July, a mass of dead sardines washed up on the coast of Oedo-dong, Jeju, turning hundreds of meters of rock here and there into a graveyard for sardines.
A group of sardines were found dead on the coast of Oedo-dong, Jeju-si last July. /happy news
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