[News Today] Floating sea waste theatens dolphins

[LEAD]
Over in Jeju island, Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins are in harms way due to discarded trash including fishing equipment.

Such floating garbage not only threatens this internationally endangered species but humans too as they can cause deadly ship accidents.

[REPORT]
Only about 120 Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, an internationally endangered species, remain in waters off Jeju.

Among them, a calf swimming beside its mother stands out.

Something is wrapped around the calf's fin and tail.

It’s fishing gear thrown away by humans.

Another adult bottlenose dolphin entangled in abandoned fishing gear was discovered nearby.

Oh Seung-mok / Documentary Filmmaker
If the rope around the dolphin gets caught on rocks or fishing lines, the dolphin could become trapped and unable to escape.

The Jeju provincial government has started looking for ways to rescue the dolphins.

Abandoned fishing equipment is threatening not only marine animals, but also humans by damaging ships.

Last year, there were 56 ship accidents caused by floating matters off Jeju, more than double the number in 2020.

Jeju authorities decided to set up an immediate response system.

Kim Seung-eon / Jeju Provincial Gov't
When debris is reported, government boats collect them. In urgent or dangerous cases, the Coast Guard takes them away immediately.

Beyond cleanup, urgent measures are needed to reduce the generation of sea waste itself.

Last year, the Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation collected 180 tons of floating waste, including abandoned fishing gear, in Jeju waters. That's up over 60% in the space of a year.

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