By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Great white sharks have been reported in the seas off the eastern and southern coasts, threatening fishermen and scuba divers' lives, the East Regional Headquarters Korea Coast Guard said Monday.
Sharks have been seen in the East Sea during the summer, but global warming has affected seawater temperatures and attracted the animals in early spring to the South Sea as well, the state-run National Fisheries Research and Development Institute said.
Great white sharks are considered one of the most hostile and aggressive among 30 species of sharks that visit Korean seas. ``It is lean and long, with sharp teeth. It has been known to swallow items it can't digest,'' an official of the institute said.
Fishermen in the area caught four-meter and 4.4-meter sharks Feb. 28 and March 4, respectively, and the institute expects more people to encounter the animal. With seawater temperatures marking nearly 10 degrees Celsius already, the fish, which seeks 14-15 degree water to eat mackerel, cero, squid and anchovies, are gathering in nearby seas, the institute said.
There have been six cases of sharks attacking people in the past three decades, but experts and local administration believe the number is higher.
``They have a very sensitive sense of smell and immediately pursue their prey once they smell the smallest drop of blood,'' a coast guard said.
Police alerted fishermen against going into the sea alone and never to get into the sea if one has recent flesh wounds.
The maritime institute gave people some tips to keep them safe from attack. Among them are not wearing bright clothing, not to try to kill one by throwing harpoons or other weapons, and staying calm and trying to swim to shore as carefully as possible. It also advised against swimming at night and in the event of an attack, to strike the shark's nose or eyes hard.