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The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced that a joint team with the Busan Metropolitan Government the coast guard and the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea would deploy nets fixed to pontoons during the afternoon operation on October 21. One vessel is scheduled to tow the barrier while another uses water jets to direct the shark toward the exit with personnel stationed on the platforms to prevent it from leaping over. Underwater drones will survey the canal floor and track the animal’s progress according to a briefing from city officials. The plan aims to block off sections behind the shark to stop it from returning deeper into the waterway as temperatures begin to fall.
The roughly 3-metre female dusky shark nicknamed Bukang-i was first spotted in the artificial canal on September 18. Local authorities identified it as a member of an endangered species that had apparently entered the narrow channel at North Port Waterfront Park near high-rise buildings and a high-speed rail station. The animal has shown signs of injury including a damaged right pectoral fin and evidence it struck its head against the canal wall according to footage reviewed by the National Institute of Fisheries Science.
Two previous rescue efforts ended without success the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries reported. An initial bid on September 29 used five vessels to spray water jets and create noise that might encourage the shark to swim seaward but the animal repeatedly turned back or submerged. A second attempt three days later employed a 50-metre-long net to gradually push Bukang-i toward open water yet the barrier snagged on the bottom and the shark later crossed it during high tide returning to a familiar stretch between pedestrian bridges The Korea Herald stated.
The shark’s prolonged presence has drawn massive crowds to the park. Reuters reported that approximately 600,000 visitors had arrived by early October while subsequent updates from The Straits Times placed the total above 1.6 million by mid-month. Observers have gathered daily to watch the animal swim in the urban waterway which has become a temporary tourist draw for the southeastern port city.
Concerns have grown over Bukang-i’s health as it has not been seen feeding since entering the canal. A senior researcher at the National Institute of Fisheries Science warned that the shark may have as little as two weeks to survive once water temperatures drop further according to an assessment shared with local media. The institute has recommended leaving a net in place to restrict the animal’s range while hoping tidal changes will eventually allow it to exit on its own.
Dusky sharks frequent coastal waters around the Korean peninsula but strandings in developed areas remain uncommon the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea has noted in past surveys. This incident marks the latest in a series of marine animal rescues in Busan where officials have coordinated with fisheries experts to balance public safety and wildlife protection. The operation continues to draw attention from marine conservation groups monitoring the species’ vulnerability to environmental pressures.
