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Local governments declare 'war on jellyfish' ahead of summer beach season

Published: 29 May. 2025, 12:14

A Nomura’s jellyfish [MINSITRY OF OCEANS AND FISHERIES]

With the summer vacation season approaching, local governments are preparing for a “war on jellyfish” by installing protective nets at popular beaches such as Haeundae, Gwangalli and Songdo in Busan.

Suyeong District, which oversees Gwangalli Beach, announced on Thursday that it will install jellyfish-blocking nets ahead of the beach's opening in July. The nets will primarily be placed about 100 meters (328 feet) offshore from the beach.

“We plan to install the nets to block jellyfish drifting toward the coastline during the summer vacation season in order to ensure a safe swimming environment,” said a Suyeong District official. “The nets will be installed around mid-June and will be operated through September.”

The district is investing 55 million won ($39,760) in the installation.

Haeundae District will also install jellyfish-blocking nets at Haeundae and Songjeong beaches in June, ahead of their June 21 opening, as it has done in previous years. In addition, the district will deploy jellyfish removal boats to catch any that manage to get past the nets. One removal boat will be stationed at Haeundae Beach, and three to five boats will operate at Songjeong Beach.

“Haeundae Beach will be open until Sept. 14, and Songjeong Beach until Aug. 31,” said a Haeundae District official. “The nets will be installed in June, and the removal boats will be operated accordingly.”

Seo District, which oversees Songdo Beach, plans to mobilize local fishing vessels starting in July to carry out jellyfish removal operations.

The jellyfish species that primarily cause problems at beaches in the summer are moon jellyfish and Nomura’s jellyfish. These are classified as harmful marine organisms under The Conservation and Management of Marine Ecosystems Act.

Fishermen install jellyfish-blocking nets off Haeundae Beach in Busan. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Moon jellyfish are commonly found along the coasts of North Gyeongsang and South Jeolla, while Nomura’s jellyfish are prevalent off the coasts of North Gyeongsang and Gangwon. The sting of the highly toxic Nomura’s jellyfish can cause pain and hives, and in severe cases, may even lead to death.

Nomura’s jellyfish originate in the East China Sea, enter Korean waters via Jeju Island, and exit through the East Sea, according to the National Institute of Fisheries Science. Although the institute monitors the influx of Nomura’s jellyfish, it is difficult to precisely determine their numbers and causes due to their origin in Chinese waters.

Meanwhile, jellyfish incidents at Busan beaches continue to rise. The number of jellyfish stings reported at Haeundae, Gwangalli and Songjeong beaches in Busan surged from 278 cases in 2022 to 444 in 2023, and further to 853 last year, according to the institute and local governments.

Last year, jellyfish alerts were issued for moon jellyfish on May 27 and for Nomura’s jellyfish on July 5, lasting until Oct. 21.

“Due to recent rises in sea temperature, jellyfish are appearing earlier and more toxic jellyfish are entering Korean waters,” said National Institute of Fisheries Science official. “Starting this year, we will establish and implement measures to prevent jellyfish-related harm through early monitoring.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY WE SUNG-WOOK [[email protected]]