Sharks in Busan
Overview
Sharks in Busan (Korean: 부산 상어) collectively refers to shark species sighted or caught off the coast of Busan Metropolitan City, Republic of Korea, and in nearby waters. Busan is a representative port city located in the waters where the East Sea and South Sea meet, and every year reports of shark appearances are received at major beaches such as Haeundae, Gwangalli, and Songjeong, as well as along the coasts of Dadaepo and Gijang. Because shark appearances are directly tied to the safety of beachgoers, the Busan Metropolitan City government, the Korea Coast Guard, and the National Institute of Fisheries Science operate monitoring and response systems.
Key Details
Marine Environment off the Busan Coast
Warm currents, coastal upwelling, and the inflow of river water act in combination in the waters off Busan, making plankton and small fish abundant. This forms a food chain for sharks, creating an environment where large sharks can approach. In particular, from July to September, when summer water temperatures rise to 24–28°C, coastal activity becomes active and fish communities become dense, increasing the frequency of shark sightings.
Major Species Appearing
Representative species identified off the Busan coast include the great white shark (백상아리), shortfin mako shark (청상아리), sand tiger shark (무태상어), scalloped hammerhead (홍살귀상어), and cloudy catshark (두툽상어). Among these, the great white shark and shortfin mako shark are large and have wide swimming ranges, making them major monitoring targets for beach safety management. Small species such as the cloudy catshark often remain in coastal bottom layers, so cases of anglers or fishers catching them in nets are common.
Notable Sightings and Catches
In Busan, there have long been steady cases of sharks being caught in fishers' nets. Even after the 2000s, reports continued that sharks were sighted off the Haeundae and Gijang coasts and near Oryukdo, and in the 2020s, when an individual presumed to be a great white shark was identified in waters near Haeundae, there was a case in which a beach was temporarily controlled and entering the water was prohibited. These cases drew attention as incidents showing that large sharks can approach the Busan coast.
Safety Measures and Response System
The Busan Metropolitan City government installs shark prevention nets (shark nets) at major beaches, and the Korea Coast Guard and local governments work together to strengthen patrols and monitoring. Surveillance using drones, personal watercraft, and thermal imaging cameras has been introduced, and when a sighting report is received, entry into the water is immediately controlled and verification work is carried out. The National Institute of Fisheries Science collects and analyzes shark appearance information and provides it to fishers and local governments, and when a shark is caught, it performs species identification and ecological surveys.
Shark Appearances and Climate Change
Recently, analyses have been raised that rising sea temperatures and the expansion of warm currents are pushing the habitat range of warm-temperate fish species and large sharks northward. This suggests that shark sightings off the Busan coast may not be a mere coincidence but a signal of environmental change. At the same time, concerns have been raised that, in conjunction with changes in the distribution of fishery resources, the possibility of contact between sharks and humans may increase.
Recent Trends
As of 2024–2025, shark appearance monitoring is becoming more sophisticated in Busan and along the southeastern coast. Shark-monitoring drones, CCTV, and real-time location tracking systems have been increasingly introduced at each beach, and a disaster text message system for rapid evacuation guidance in the event of a shark sighting has also been overhauled. In addition, the National Institute of Fisheries Science and local governments are jointly conducting surveys on shark habitat conditions, and research on changes in shark distribution due to climate change continues. Safety education for citizens about sharks and training for beach safety personnel are also becoming regularized. Meanwhile, voices are growing that rather than unconditionally catching sharks, ecosystem conservation and human safety should be considered together.
Related Topics
- [[Great white shark]]
- [[Haeundae Beach]]
- [[Busan maritime safety]]
- [[Climate change and marine ecosystems]]