JEJU, Jan. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — A young Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, entangled in a discarded fishing net and living in peril, has sparked significant attention and concern for its rescue.
The dolphin, less than a year old, was first observed in early November last year off the coast of Daejeong-eup in the city of Seogwipo on Jeju Island. Despite the passing of over two months, it remains in the same dangerous situation.
Professor Kim Byeong-yeob from Jeju National University expressed concern about the dolphin’s deteriorating condition. Not only has its mobility decreased, but the net is also tangled around its mouth, hindering natural behaviors like nursing.
The Jeju National University dolphin research team estimated that the net, entangled around the dolphin’s tail, is approximately 1.5 to 2 meters long. The net hampers the dolphin’s swimming and poses a risk of severing part of its tail due to its thinness and constant friction against the dolphin’s skin.
The net, entangled around the dolphin’s tail, is approximately 1.5 to 2 meters long. (Image courtesy of the Jeju National University dolphin research team)
The team also raised concerns about the increasing weight of the net as seaweed attaches to it. If the net gets caught on a reef, it could immobilize the dolphin completely.
The situation has been reported to the authorities on Jeju Island, and both the Jeju Provincial Government and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries have begun deliberating on rescue plans.
A Jeju official stated that various methods to safely rescue the dolphin were being considered, mindful of the risks involved in a direct intervention. Professor Kim suggested a possible method involving the use of fishing nets to gradually enclose and capture the dolphin before removing the entangled net.
However, he emphasized the need for cautious approach, considering environmental variables like the nature of the sea floor and the potential risks of a rushed rescue operation.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
