Pohang mobilizes against high water temperatures as preliminary alert issued for central East Sea coast

Pohang city has launched preemptive measures to protect farmed marine life after the National Institute of Fisheries Science issued a preliminary high water temperature alert for the central East Sea coast on Thursday.

Coastal water temperatures off Pohang currently stand at 22 to 23 degrees Celsius. The city said Sunday that the disappearance of a cold-water mass along the coast has significantly raised the risk of a rapid temperature spike driven by the heat wave and the influx of open-sea water.

A preliminary high water temperature alert is issued when coastal temperatures reach or are forecast to reach 25 degrees Celsius. A caution advisory follows at 28 degrees, and a full warning is declared when temperatures remain at or above 28 degrees for three or more consecutive days.

In response, Pohang has committed 4 billion won ($2.78 million) to expand countermeasure equipment — including circulation pumps, liquid oxygen supply facilities, heat pumps and chillers — and to subsidize disaster insurance premiums for aquaculture operators.

Under an abnormal water temperature response project, the city has also supplied 1,051 circulation pumps and 1,218 metric tons of liquid oxygen to local farms.

Alongside this, the city has supported facility improvements at 16 local aquaculture farms, covering intake facility repairs and the installation of liquid oxygen tanks, emergency generators and chillers.

About 2,000 pieces of high water temperature countermeasure equipment are now in place at Pohang aquaculture farms. The city is broadcasting real-time updates on water temperature changes and alert status while stepping up inspections of equipment and facilities.

"High water temperatures are recurring due to climate change," said Oh Jeong-heung, head of Pohang's fisheries policy division. "We will minimize damage to aquaculture farms through on-site inspections, equipment and facility support, and disaster insurance assistance."

Pohang's 100 aquaculture farms currently raise about 11.957 million marine animals, including olive flounder and other flatfish species.