Restoring Taean

[Anchor Lead]

It’s been ten years since a massive oil spill blighted the sea off Taean-gun County. While some predicted that it would take decades to restore the area, thanks to the efforts of more than a million volunteers the sea off Taean has already greatly improved.

[Pkg]

Crude oil gushes out of an oil tanker after a collision with a floating crane. More than 12,000 liters of oil spilled into the clean sea, polluting the coast. All marine creatures disappeared. Local residents were thrown into despair. But some 1.2 million volunteers from all over the nation rushed to Taean to help with cleanup efforts. Now, ten years later, the number of macrozoobenthos species has surged from just five at the time of the disaster to 57, and the eelgrass colony is also back.

[Soundbite] Noh Hyung-soo(Taeanhaean National Park Office) : "The eelgrass colony acts as a nursery for young fish. The fact that the colony is back means that the marine environment has improved."

Shortly after the accident, traces of oil were found in 69 percent of the Taean coastal area, but they disappeared completely in 2014.

[Soundbite] Chung Won-ok(National Park Research Inst.) : "Oil was quickly removed from the bedrock and sand by the tide. This contributed greatly to the restoration."

Now locals can dig for clams again. This year, sales of local shellfish have increased 5 percent from ten years ago.

[Soundbite] Choi In-soon(Fisherman) : "There are plenty of clams this year. There are many oysters and clams."

Thanks to the hard work of some 1.2 million volunteers and the authorities' swift response, the sea off Taean is clean again.