Yeosu City Focuses Administrative Efforts on Preventing Heat Damage to Aquaculture Fish

by Heo Seonsik

Published 02 Aug.2023 16:31(KST)

Updated 15 Aug.2025 11:16(KST)

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Countermeasures Situation Room: "We Will Create a Sea Free from High Temperature Damage"

On the 31st of last month, a high-temperature warning was issued for the Yeojaman sea area, and on the 2nd, Yeosu City in Jeollanam-do announced that it is focusing administrative efforts on preventing damage to farmed fish caused by high water temperatures.

The National Institute of Fisheries Science issued a high-temperature advisory on the 26th of last month for the southwestern coast (from Dangjin, Chungnam to Gadukdo, Busan), where seawater temperatures reached 28℃. Subsequently, on the 31st of the same month, a high-temperature warning was issued specifically for the Cheonsuman, Deukryangman, Yeojaman, and Jinhaeman areas.

Carrying a liquid oxygen tank. [Photo by Yeosu City]

In anticipation of damage to farmed fish, Yeosu City has prepared a comprehensive plan to prevent high-temperature damage and secured a budget of over 2 billion KRW, aiming to make this year free of high-temperature damage to fish, following last year’s efforts.

Previously, Yeosu City distributed about 380 oxygen supply devices, over 300 liquid oxygen tanks, and approximately 1,500 cage shade covers as preventive measures for aquaculture farms raising cold-water species vulnerable to high temperatures, such as rockfish and abalone.

Additionally, to support fishermen facing labor shortages, the city operates iron boats to巡回 the cages, collecting used liquid oxygen tanks, refilling them at onshore stations, and returning them to the cages, thereby also focusing on equipment inspection and management.

Yeosu City operates a high-temperature countermeasure situation room and will continue to provide short message services to fishermen regarding progress and aquaculture management guidelines until the high-temperature warning is lifted. The city will closely monitor the high-temperature situation and devote full efforts to surveillance and prevention.

A city official stated, “Water temperatures are expected to continue rising due to the ongoing heatwave. We ask aquaculture farms to adjust stocking densities in advance, replace cage nets, supply nutrients, and in case of damage, to stop feed supply and operate liquid oxygen supply devices.”