◈  feeding and concerns over shark health deterioration from falling water temperatures

◈ Applying a guidance method utilizing nets, pontoons, and divers to supplement limitations of 1st and 2nd attempts... Pre-survey of seabed topography and obstacles on the afternoon of the 20th -> Equipment installation on the morning of the 21st, followed by full-scale open-sea guidance in the afternoon

Busan City (Mayor Jeon Jae-soo) announced that it will jointly promote the 3rd open-sea guidance operation tomorrow (the 21st) with related organizations—including the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) and the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea (MABIK)—to safely guide the shark "Bukang-i," currently residing in the North Port Waterfront Park scenic waterway, back out to the open sea.

To this end, a countermeasures meeting involving 10 related organizations—including Busan City, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, the National Institute of Fisheries Science (NIFS), the Busan Port Authority (BPA), and the Busan Corporation (BSCO)—was held near Busan Station at 10 a.m. today (the 20th) to discuss detailed implementation plans and the roles of each organization.

This operation will be overseen by the Marine Ecology Division of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, with related organizations cooperating for the safe movement of the shark and on-site safety management.

The 3rd open-sea guidance is being pursued in consideration of expert judgments stating that prompt action is necessary as the shark's feeding has not been confirmed and its health is feared to deteriorate due to anticipated drops in air and water temperatures.

In particular, the 21st was selected as the optimal time for the guidance operation, taking into comprehensive consideration factors such as the absence of cruise ship schedules on that day and the sharp drop in temperature forecasted starting from the 22nd.

The 3rd operation will be conducted using nets, pontoons (floating facilities for water work), and divers, supplementing the limitations regarding waterway topography and depth identified during the 1st and 2nd guidance operations.

The open-sea guidance operation is scheduled to proceed in the order of a preliminary survey on the afternoon of the 20th, equipment installation on the morning of the 21st, and open-sea guidance in the afternoon.

On the afternoon of the 20th, a preliminary survey of the seabed topography and obstacles at the waterway entrance will be conducted using underwater acoustic sonars and underwater drones.

On the morning of the 21st, blocking nets, pontoons, and other guidance equipment will be installed around the 5th and 6th pedestrian bridges, and preliminary drills will be conducted. Full-scale open-sea guidance operations will begin immediately once on-site preparations are complete.

The operation will be carried out by moving the nets connected to the pontoons toward the open sea to guide the shark's movement, while blocking the rear to prevent the shark from returning deeper into the waterway.

In addition, drones will be used to monitor the shark's location and movements in real-time, and divers will check underwater obstacles and net conditions, flexibly adjusting operations according to on-site conditions.

Meanwhile, while prioritizing the safety and health of the shark, plans are also in place to ensure thorough visitor safety management.

Expert institutions, including the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, will direct operations while observing the shark's behavior and health status, and will adjust operation methods and speeds should any abnormal signs occur.

Busan City plans to focus on visitor safety management by cooperating with related organizations such as the Busan Port Authority, the Busan Facility Corporation, the police, and the Korea Coast Guard to restrict access to the 5th and 6th pedestrian bridges and major work zones, deploy safety personnel, and strengthen on-site patrols.

Mayor Jeon Jae-soo stated, "Given the shark's health and changing water temperatures, prompt open-sea guidance is necessary, and we will actively cooperate with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and expert institutions in this operation." He added, "We will do our utmost to ensure Bukang-i safely returns to the ocean, and we kindly ask citizens to refrain from actions that could hinder the open-sea guidance operation and to actively cooperate with site access controls and the guidance of safety personnel."

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