High water temperatures kill additional 581,000 fish and abalone off South Gyeongsang coast

High water temperatures along the southern coast of South Gyeongsang Province killed an additional 581,000 farmed fish and abalone Friday, with losses mounting by the day.

According to South Gyeongsang Province, about 339,000 fish — including mullet, Korean rockfish, rockfish and filefish — and about 242,000 abalone died that day. Sea squirt losses also grew by 213 lines, referring to the submerged ropes on which the shellfish are cultivated.

Property damage newly reported Friday totaled about 1.78 billion won ($1.31 million).

Since the high-water-temperature event began in late July, cumulative losses along the South Gyeongsang southern coast have reached about 6.306 million fish, about 1.094 million abalone and 1,944 sea squirt lines. Total property damage has climbed to about 17.64 billion won, with 314 fish-farming households having filed damage reports so far.

High-water-temperature warnings remain in effect for Sacheon Bay, Gangjin Bay and Jinhae Bay in South Gyeongsang Province, as well as the waters stretching from Namhae-gun to Geoje. Although sea temperatures have been gradually falling since the start of September, the pace of decline is slow and the warnings are expected to remain in place for now.