Jeju's waters ensnare endangered turtles and dolphins in discarded fishing gear

Jeju's waters are increasingly becoming a death trap for marine life, with endangered species like the red-knobbed sea turtle and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins being found entangled in discarded fishing gear and lines. Two Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins were spotted near Woljeong-ri, Jeju City, on May 17, one of them, nicknamed 'Haenguni,' has been entangled since November 2024. Another dolphin, yet to be named, was also seen with fishing gear around its body.

Director Oh Seung-mok of DocuJeju stated that five "surviving dolphins" are currently in Jeju's waters, suffering from entanglement in fishing lines or hooks. The situation highlights the severe pollution in Jeju's marine environment. Earlier in May, a juvenile dolphin was seen with a long fishing line attached to its tail.

On May 18, a red-knobbed sea turtle was rescued from a rocky shore in Seohong-dong, Seogwipo City, its entire body bound by a net. The turtle, measuring about 1.5 meters long and 1 meter wide, was unharmed and released back into the sea.

A 10-month survey by the marine civic science center 'Paran' from April last year revealed 1,661 discarded fishing gear items across 46 out of 50 surveyed locations within Jeju's marine protected areas. The most common items found were discarded fishing lines, followed by traps, fishing boat ropes, and construction waste. These discarded materials have led to the injury or death of 183 individuals from 23 different marine species.

Despite Jeju Province managing the largest marine protected areas in the country, effective management is lacking. Paran urges the provincial government to develop specific plans to manage these areas and reduce discarded fishing gear.

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Currently, five 'surviving dolphins' entangled in fishing gear are living in Jeju's waters. They have fishing lines wrapped around their bodies or fishing hooks caught on both sides of their mouths.