Imsil-gun Leads Protection of Okjeongho Aquatic Ecosystem... Conducts Environmental Cleanup Activities

Imsil-gun, Jeonbuk is actively leading various environmental conservation activities to protect the aquatic ecosystem of Okjeongho Lake.

According to the county on the 14th, recently, floating debris carried downstream from the upper reaches of Okjeongho Lake due to heavy rain has been pushed to the lakeshore, and if left unattended, it could cause water pollution and contribute to the occurrence of algal blooms.

The county is conducting environmental cleanup activities using Okjeongho watershed guardians to quickly collect and dispose of large amounts of floating debris, protect the ecological landscape, and prevent river water pollution.

Imsil-gun is conducting environmental cleanup activities using Okjeongho water source guardians.
[Photo by Imsil-gun]

The 28 Okjeongho watershed guardians, organized into six teams, have been stationed along the lakeshore since April, steadily carrying out trash collection and crackdowns on illegal activities to protect the water quality of Okjeongho Lake.

The county is also putting full effort into eradicating invasive species such as bluegill and largemouth bass, which inhabit Okjeongho Lake and disrupt the ecosystem.

Largemouth bass and bluegill, which have strong reproductive abilities and are carnivorous top aquatic predators, threaten native fish species in Okjeongho Lake. These species are representative invasive alien species designated and announced by the Ministry of Environment.

They mainly inhabit large reservoirs or slow-flowing rivers, indiscriminately feed on available prey, rapidly reduce native fish populations, and disrupt the ecosystem through excessive reproduction, causing significant problems.

The county has invested a total of 38 million KRW and, from last month during the spawning season until August, is capturing invasive species in Okjeongho Lake using baited nets installed along fish pathways.

Through these efforts, the county aims to lead the recovery of ecological health so that native species such as freshwater shrimp, Dongjagae (Korean bullhead), and icefish can continue to reproduce sustainably.

Every year, the county conducts invasive species eradication work to protect native fish species and the aquatic ecosystem of Okjeongho Lake. This year, through nine sessions so far, 281 kg of invasive species have been removed.

Sim Min, the county governor, stated, “We will do our best to continuously promote environmental conservation projects to create a pleasant and clean environment in Okjeongho Lake and restore the health of its aquatic ecosystem.”

Imsil = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Nosik baekok@asiae.co.kr

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.