Busan to Guide Stranded Shark Back to Open Sea From the 29th

BUSAN — A rescue operation is getting underway to return a shark lingering in a waterway at Busan's North Port waterfront park to open waters. Rather than capturing the animal directly, the Busan Metropolitan Government will use boats and water pumps to encourage it to swim seaward on its own, turning to nets in a second stage if that fails.

The city said on the 28th that it had drawn up the rescue and release plan at a meeting of relevant agencies. Under the plan, crews will begin guiding the shark from the inner waterway toward the open sea at 10 a.m. on the 29th using boats and water pumps.

A field survey by the National Institute of Fisheries Science found the shark's overall condition stable, with the animal swimming continuously and breathing normally. However, the width and depth of the waterway and the route connecting it to the open sea limit the shark's ability to feed and move freely. Officials decided to return it to natural waters because a prolonged stay could sap its strength.

The first stage of the operation avoids capturing the shark or physically provoking it, instead prompting it to move on its own. The city said it drew on precedents including a 2004 case in which a great white shark stranded in a Massachusetts salt marsh was guided out to open water.

If the boats and water pumps fail to move the shark, crews will deploy a purpose-built net. The plan is to block escape routes back into the inner waterway in stages, leaving open only the passage toward the open sea so the shark swims out to natural waters.

Throughout the operation, crews will monitor the shark's health and stress levels, adjusting the method and pace according to conditions on the scene. The National Institute of Fisheries Science will provide expert judgment on the animal's condition and rescue methods, while the Busan city government, Busan Port Authority, Busan Infrastructure Corporation, the coast guard, fire and police services and Dong-gu District handle vessels, equipment, personnel and site control.

About 570,000 people visited the North Port waterfront park during the Chuseok holiday. The city ran a joint emergency response system with the Busan Infrastructure Corporation, police, Dong-gu District, the port fire station, the coast guard, the Busan Port Authority and the National Institute of Fisheries Science, deploying 637 personnel to manage crowds and traffic, patrol the waterfront and inspect facilities.

"We will continue to closely monitor the shark's health and movements and work closely with relevant agencies to do everything we can to ensure it returns safely to natural waters," Mayor Jeon Jae-soo said.