Jeju’s yacht tourism push sparks concerns for dolphin habitat

JEJU – Jeju Island’s plan to promote a yacht route encircling the island is drawing criticism from environmental groups, who warn it could intrude on a dolphin sanctuary and further disturb a species already stressed by growing marine traffic.

Hot Pink Dolphins, an animal advocacy group, said on Feb 11 that the provincial government is developing a sailing route along the western coast, branding it around the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins frequently observed in nearshore waters.

About 120 dolphins are known to inhabit waters surrounding Jeju, with the island’s south-western sea recognised as one of their most important habitats.

Visitors often try to spot them from coastal roads or from tour boats, underscoring the species’ role in the island’s tourism ecosystem.

To protect what is the only habitat of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins in South Korea, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries designated a zone of 2.36 sq km as a marine protected area in April 2025.

Under the Conservation and Management of Marine Ecosystems Act, activities such as development or harvesting of marine products are limited to prevent disturbance.

The designation was welcomed by conservationists, who have long warned that boat noise, propeller strikes and close approach by operators pose ongoing risks to the animals.

Jeju Island has also pursued legal protections by launching a campaign to grant the species legal entity status, which would be the first such designation for any animal in the country.

“The Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, an endangered species that has long coexisted with haenyeo (female divers), in Jeju waters, is an important species that requires protection,” Jeju Island Governor Oh Young-hun said at the campaign’s launch ceremony in 2025.

He said the province would continue to push for the passage of a special act that includes a provision establishing South Korea’s first ecological legal entity.

Despite these layers of protection, advocates argue that pressure on the dolphins is only intensifying.

“The area has already been damaged by excessive sightseeing boats, which stress dolphins and affect their rest, feeding and parenting,” an official from Hot Pink Dolphins said. “If yachts are added, the situation will become even more serious.”

The new yacht project is part of Jeju’s broader effort to establish a circular sailing route that highlights the island’s volcanic coastline and coastal ecology.

The plan, announced on Feb 6, outlines six thematic routes and seeks to link sailing related tourism with accommodation, food and culture.

Jeju officials say the proposal is still under development and that specific operating guidelines have not been finalised.

Advocacy groups counter that the project should be withdrawn or, at minimum, relocated so that yachts travel more than 2km offshore, outside the known range of dolphin activity.

“Jeju has taken contradictory steps regarding Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, but it should make greater efforts to balance conservation values with the island’s extremely high demand for coastal use,” said head of the Paran Ocean Citizen Science Centre Shin Soo-yun.

“Many risk factors in the protected area have been left unaddressed, and the new plan only adds to the concerns.” THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK