Step-by-step rescue and release plan established at a September 28 meeting of related agencies; scheduled for tomorrow (September 29) at 10:00 to naturally guide the shark toward the open sea using vessels and water pumps.

Busan City (Mayor Jeon Jae-soo) announced that it held a countermeasures meeting with related organizations today (the 28th) to establish a step-by-step rescue and release plan for the safe return of a shark staying in the waterway of the North Port Waterfront Park to its natural habitat, and will begin guiding its movement using vessels and water pumps starting tomorrow (the 29th).

According to a field survey by the National Institute of Fisheries Science (NIFS), the shark's overall condition has been confirmed to be stable, as it continues to swim and breathe normally. However, considering conditions such as the width and depth of the waterway and the migration route connected to the open sea, it was determined that there are restrictions on feeding and free movement.

In particular, if its stay in the waterway is prolonged, its physical strength is likely to gradually decline, prompting the decision to induce its return to the natural marine environment.

Starting at 10:00 AM tomorrow (the 29th), vessels and water pumps will be utilized to guide the shark's movement from the inner side of the waterway toward the open sea.

This method refers to a 2004 rescue case where a great white shark isolated in a salt marsh in Massachusetts, USA, was guided to the open sea. It focuses on encouraging the shark to move on its own rather than directly capturing it or physically stimulating it.

If the vessel and water pump guidance method proves ineffective, a specially manufactured net will be used. The escape route will be blocked step-by-step to prevent the shark from moving further into the waterway, leaving only the passage toward the open sea open to induce its return to the natural sea.

In addition, the health status of the shark will be continuously checked during the rescue process, and the rescue method and progress speed will be adjusted according to field conditions to prevent excessive stress.

The shark rescue and release will be jointly promoted by related organizations centered around the National Institute of Fisheries Science, including Busan City, Busan Port Authority, Busan Corporation, Korea Coast Guard, Fire Service, Police, and Dong-gu.

The National Institute of Fisheries Science will be responsible for checking the condition of the shark and making professional judgments on the rescue method, while the related agencies will share responsibilities such as supporting vessels, equipment, and personnel, controlling site access and visitor safety management, and responding to potential emergencies during the rescue process.

Meanwhile, during the Chuseok holiday period, approximately 570,000 visitors, including Busan citizens, returning family members, and visitors from all over the country, flocked to the North Port Waterfront Park.

Accordingly, the city operated a joint emergency duty system with related organizations such as the Busan Corporation, Police, Dong-gu, Port Fire Station, Coast Guard, Busan Port Authority (BPA), and the National Institute of Fisheries Science, deploying a total of 637 personnel to conduct on-site safety management including crowd and traffic control, waterfront patrols, and facility safety inspections.

Mayor Jeon Jae-soo stated, "I would like to thank the many people who visited the North Port Waterfront Park during the Chuseok holiday and actively cooperated with on-site guidance and safety management," adding, "We will continue to closely monitor the shark's health and movement status and cooperate closely with related agencies to do our best to ensure the shark safely returns to its natural habitat."

[Copyright (c) Global Economic Times. All Rights Reserved.]