South Korea Bay Algae Bloom Blamed on Reservoirs; Fishermen Seek Accountability

A massive bloom of dead microalgae that turned South Korea's Cheonsu Bay into a foul-smelling, reddish-brown mass has been analyzed by provincial authorities. The findings suggest the bloom resulted from the death of microalgae that proliferated in nutrient-rich waters, exacerbated by weather conditions.

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This phenomenon is analyzed to have occurred as microalgae proliferated and died in an environment with high nutrient levels.

However, fishermen in the affected Changri area of Seosan City are expressing disappointment. They claim that crucial comparative analyses, which would clearly link the discharge from freshwater reservoirs to the floating debris, were not performed. Residents first reported the issue in late July after freshwater was released from the Hongseongho reservoir, leading to the appearance of the foul-smelling material.

Provincial officials stated that the microalgae identified were primarily Heterosigma, a species common to the west coast that rapidly multiplies under favorable conditions of water temperature, sunlight, and nutrients. The dead algae, entangled with other microalgae, formed the gelatinous debris. The analysis indicated that discharges from reservoirs like Bunamho, Ganwolho, Hongseongho, and Boryeongho in July introduced large amounts of nutrients and microalgae into the bay.

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A comparative analysis of the microalgae in the dead algae mass in the sea and the water quality of reservoirs like Hongseongho and Bunamho should have been conducted, but it was omitted, which is disappointing.

Authorities are classifying the incident as an "abnormal algal bloom" under the Agricultural and Fishery Disasters Countermeasure Act, planning compensation for affected fishermen. This marks the first such occurrence reported in South Korea, although similar incidents have been noted internationally. Despite the official findings, fishermen like Park Tae-wook, head of the Changri Fishermen's Association, lament the lack of specific investigations into the water quality of the reservoirs versus the affected sea, noting that the bloom has killed hundreds of fish in aquaculture farms and devastated the local tourism industry.

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If four reservoirs discharge freshwater with different characteristics, we could track the origin of the floating matter, but since it's all for agricultural use, it mixes into one body of water once it reaches the sea, making targeted investigation difficult.