BOEUN, Apr. 25 (Korea Bizwire) – For years, officials at Songnisan National Park have been grappling with an unwelcome visitor that has taken over a reservoir within the park’s boundaries: the largemouth bass, an invasive fish species from North America.
The formidable predator, which can grow up to 60 centimeters long and has an enormous mouth, is believed to have been released into the Samga Reservoir over a decade ago during a religious ceremony.
Since then, the bass have been wreaking havoc on the local ecosystem, devouring native fish, frogs, waterfowl and even small snakes.
Classified as an ecosystem-disrupting species, the largemouth bass poses a severe threat to the reservoir’s biodiversity.
Park officials have tried various methods to control the population, such as removing bass spawning nests during breeding season and deploying divers to capture the fish.
But these efforts have fallen short, as their reproductive rate outpaces the culling.
In 2021, the park launched a program that rewarded professional anglers with gift cards based on how many bass they caught. However, this initiative failed to meet expectations.
“Every year, we undertake eradication efforts, but the number of bass captured doesn’t keep up with their breeding pace,” said Lee Sang-cheol, the director of the Songnisan National Park Office.
“This year, we plan to launch a major capture operation with the help of volunteers.”
As part of this operation, the park announced that it would offer an unusual eco-tourism program called “We are the K-Water Rangers of the National Park.”
Running from May through September on Saturdays, the program invites participants to fish for largemouth bass and take part in environmental quizzes.
A maximum of 10 people can sign up each week through the national park reservation system, with all fishing gear provided free of charge by the park.
“While fishing in a national park may seem unusual, it’s an unavoidable measure to protect the aquatic ecosystem,” a park official said.
“We hope this will raise awareness about the importance of natural resources and the need to restore aquatic habitats.”
Image credit: Korea National Park Service / photonews@koreabizwire.com
