Jeju Reports Consecutive Striped Dolphin Carcass Discoveries... 12 Found This Month Alone

Published 21 Dec.2021 14:34(KST)

[Jeju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hwang Jeongpil] On the 20th, a carcass of a finless porpoise, designated as a marine protected species, was found at Hyeopjae Beach in Hallim-eup, Jeju City, and on the 21st, another was found near a shipyard in Hansu-ri, Hallim-eup, for two consecutive days.

According to the Jeju Coast Guard on the 21st, a report was received at 4:04 p.m. the previous day about a dolphin carcass on the rocky shore near Hyeopjae Beach in Hallim-eup, Jeju City.

The Hallim Police Station patrol team was dispatched and arrived at the scene around 4:16 p.m., discovering a dead dolphin carcass on the rocky shore near Hyeopjae Beach.

After collecting samples of the dolphin species and consulting with the National Institute of Fisheries Science Whale Research Center and Professor Kim Byung-yeop of Jeju National University, it was confirmed to be a female finless porpoise approximately 135 cm in length and 90 cm in girth, estimated to have been deceased for about 10 days.

The Jeju Coast Guard found no signs of illegal capture and handed over the carcass to local authorities around 5:16 p.m.

Earlier that day, at 9:21 a.m., a report was received about a dolphin carcass on the rocky shore near a shipyard in Hansu-ri, Hallim-eup, Jeju City. The Hallim Police Station patrol team was dispatched and arrived at the scene around 9:25 a.m., confirming one dead dolphin on the rocky shore near the Hansu-ri shipyard.

After sample collection and consultation with the National Institute of Fisheries Science Whale Research Center and Professor Kim Byung-yeop of Jeju National University, it was identified as a finless porpoise approximately 120 cm in length and 50 cm in girth. Due to severe decomposition, it was difficult to determine the sex, and no signs of illegal capture were found. The carcass was handed over to local authorities around 10 a.m.

A Jeju Coast Guard official stated, “If a finless porpoise, designated as a marine protected species in Korea, is found caught in fishing nets during operations or dead along the coast, please promptly report it to the Coast Guard.”

Meanwhile, a total of 38 finless porpoises have been found by the Jeju Coast Guard this year, with 12 discovered just this month, all showing no signs of illegal capture.