[Opinion] Spring Dodari Sea Fishing Starts with Safety First

Kim Young-chul, Chief of Changwon Maritime Police Station, Gyeongnam.
[Photo by Changwon Maritime Police Station]

March is the month when all living things show their vitality after Ipchun (the beginning of spring). Spring has arrived in the waters off Changwon, where olive flounders that have finished spawning are swimming actively.

Olive flounder is considered a seasonal delicacy, as the saying goes, "Spring olive flounder, autumn gizzard shad."

When eaten as sashimi, its unique chewy texture keeps chopsticks busy, and paired with a drink, it naturally elicits exclamations of delight.

Olive flounder soup with fragrant mugwort, known as Dodari Ssukguk, has become a spring health food enjoyed nationwide, beyond just being a local specialty of Tongyeong.

Spring olive flounder is also popular among anglers for its rewarding bite, attracting many people to the sea every year.

Anglers head out to sea by boat or cast their fishing rods from coastal rocks or tetrapods.

Fishing from coastal rocks or tetrapods may seem leisurely and peaceful, but in reality, it is a thrilling and dangerous activity.

Coastal rocks and similar shorelines are often covered with seaweed such as water moss, making surfaces slippery, and they lack safety facilities like lifelines or handrails, so one can slip or fall directly into the water.

Tetrapods, installed to reduce the impact of waves, can be over 10 meters high, and falling from them can cause serious injury.

There is also the risk of being trapped by rising tides while fishing on emergent rocks or coastal rocks that are only exposed when the water level is low.

In fact, last October, an angler was trapped by rising seawater near Gusan-myeon, Masanhappo-gu, Changwon, and was rescued by the coast guard.

In December, one angler fell into the sea from coastal rocks near Saebaji Port in Busan and lost their life.

On the 4th of this month, a man fishing near Daehang Port in Busan went down under a tetrapod to retrieve a dropped cellphone and became trapped, requiring rescue by the coast guard.

Over the past five years, there have been a total of 15 coastal safety accidents within the jurisdiction of the Changwon Coast Guard, including 7 cases of being stranded on coastal rocks, 7 falls, and 1 contusion.

Especially on coastal rocks or tetrapods, even if a victim calls for help after an accident, their voice may not carry far, and even if a distress call is noticed, it is difficult to accurately locate the victim.

Being soaked by waves can lead to hypothermia or death due to injuries, and rescue becomes even more difficult if the accident occurs at night.

To avoid such accidents, it is essential to check the weather and tide conditions before engaging in fishing or other leisure activities.

Using apps like "Hae (Sea) Road" or "Bada Navi," operated by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, allows quick and easy access to sea weather and tide information.

Additionally, before going out to sea, it is crucial to wear safety equipment such as life jackets.

Wearing a life jacket not only helps you float easily due to buoyancy but also helps maintain body temperature, increasing survival rates at sea by nearly four times.

Most importantly, it is best to avoid fishing or going near dangerous places like coastal rocks or tetrapods.

Not approaching these areas, even out of curiosity or to take commemorative photos, is the safest way to protect yourself.

If you experience or witness an accident, report it to 119 or notify the incident through the fishing vessel’s "V-PASS distress button (SOS button)" or the "Hae (Sea) Road" app.

The safety rules presented may seem simple and obvious, but they are useless if not followed.

We sincerely hope that those visiting the sea this spring remember the saying "Anbulmangwi (安不忘危)"?to not forget danger even in times of safety?and stay safe.

Furthermore, by adhering to these obvious rules, we wish everyone a safe and happy time enjoying the spring sea.

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