The purpose of this study is to estimate potential yield (PY) for Korean west coast fisheries using the holistic production method (HPM). HPM involves the use of surplus production models to apply input data of catch and standardized fishing efforts. HPM compared the estimated parameters of the surplus production from four different models: the Fox model, CYP model, ASPIC model, and maximum entropy model. The PY estimates ranged from 174,232 metric tons (mt) using the CYP model to 238,088 mt using the maximum entropy model. The highest coefficient of determination (R2), the lowest root mean square error (RMSE), and the lowest Theil’s U statistic (U) for Korean west coast fisheries were obtained from the maximum entropy model. The maximum entropy model showed relatively better fits of data, indicating that the maximum entropy model is statistically more stable and accurate than other models. The estimate from the maximum entropy model is regarded as a more reasonable estimate of PY. The quality of input data should be improved for the future study of PY to obtain more reliable estimates.

This study researched the population of ecological characteristics of the goldeyes rockfish Sebasetes thompsoni sampled by gill net in the Ulleungdo area from February 2013 to February 2014 in order to assess the current stock status and provide scientific advice for management implementation. The instantaneous coefficient of total mortality (Z) was 0.78/year and the survival rate (S) was 0.459. The instantaneous coefficient of natural mortality (M) was 0.461/year. Based on the estimates of Z and M, the instantaneous coefficient of fishing mortality (F) was 0.318/year. The age at first capture (tc) was 4.41/years. Current Yield-per-recruit (YPR) was 30.83 g, and fishing mortality at maximum YPR (Fmax) and fishing mortality corresponding to 10% of the maximum slope in YPR curve (F0.1) were 3.257/year and 0.673/year, respectively. F35% and F40%, indicating fishing mortalities at 35% and 40% of maximum Spawning biomass-per-recruit (SBPR), were 0.619/year and 0.509/year, respectively. Based on the biological reference points, fishing mortality at overfished threshold yield (FOTY) was calculated as 0.509/year. Current SBPR/SBPRMSY was 1.313 above 1.0, which means ‘not overfishe,’ while current F/FOTY was 0.629 below 1.0, which indicates ‘not overfishing.’ In conclusion, the current status of goldeyes rockfish was located in green zone (i.e., not overfished and not overfishing) according to the revised Kobe plot.

An acoustic and trawl pilot survey using a small vessel was conducted in Jinhae bay of the South Sea of South Korea on April 13~14, May 11~13 and June 8~10, 2015. During the survey, acoustic data was collected and bottom trawls were conducted at the same time. First, various noises were eliminated by using the Park method based on the Wang method(Wang et al., 2015; Park et al., 2015), the species compositions and catch rate from each bottom trawl were observed, and spatial distribution of fishery resources in the water column and their nautical area scattering coefficient (NASC) were investigated through acoustic data. During the entire survey period, 12 orders, 33 families and 41 species were caught. The most caught species in April, May and June were Okamejei kenojei, Zoarces gilli and Pholis nebulosa, respectively. Fish schools were observed near the line of net mouth height in April. Numerous weak scatters were presented on the echograms in May and June. Many fish schools appeared in between the water surface and 20 m deep in May. The NASC value from entire water columns was the lowest in April (35.9 m2/n･mile2) and highest in June (1541.3 m2/n･mile2).

Species composition in the coastal waters off Ulleungdo of Korea were examined based on catches bimonthly collected by trammel net in 2013. A total of 711 individuals and 181.9 Kg were caught and catches were composed of 4 classes 15 orders 27 families 52 species including 44 Pisces, 4 Gastropoda, 3 Cephalopoda, and 1 Echinodermata. The dominant species in biomass were File fish (Thamnaconus modestus), Atka mackerel (Pleurogrammus azonus), and Greenling (Hexagrammos otakii). Data were summarized using hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) to examine similarity in species composition for each month, and community structure in Ulleungdo was divided into two groups. Community structures in February, April and December with low temperature and well-mixed surface water were distinguished from those in June, August and October with high temperature and strong stratification, which could be attributed to temporal changes in dominant species. Atka mackerel and Spear squid mainly caught in February and April, disappearing in June, August and October, and File fish outburst was shown in October. Because the water off Ulleungdo has been under low human pressure, it could be a good case study to elucidate effects of climate change on community structure and ecosystem in the East sea. Continuous surveys and further studies are required to demonstrate migration route and distribution of dominant species and long-term changes in community structure in the water of Ulleungdo.

To examine species composition, abundance and biomass of fishes in the northwestern East Sea of Russian EEZ, trawl survey were conducted at 31 sampling stations from 2006 to 2008. Also, trawl survey were conducted at 21 sampling stations in the southwestern East Sea of Korean EEZ from 2006 to 2008. A total of 67 fishes were collected in the northwestern East Sea of Russian EEZ, a total of 39 fishes were collected in the southwestern East Sea of Korean EEZ. Among them, a total of 53 fishes were collected in the northwestern East Sea of Russian EEZ only, and a total of 25 fishes were collected in the southwestern East Sea of Korean EEZ only. Mean abundance per area which caught by trawl survey in the northwestern East Sea ranged from a high of 116,478 inds./km2 in 2008 to a low of 19,737 inds./km2 in 2006. And mean abundance per area in the southwestern East Sea ranged from a high of 89,129 inds./km2 in 2006 to a low of 8,234 inds./km2 in 2008. Mean biomass per area which caught by trawl survey in the northwestern East Sea ranged from a high of 11,333 kg/km2 in 2008 to a low of 2,439 kg/km2 in 2006. And mean biomass per area in the southwestern East Sea ranged from a high of 6,273 kg/km2 in 2006 to a low of 1,062 kg/km2 in 2008. Cluster analysis, based on a Bray–Curtis similarity matrix of fourth root transformed data of number of species and individuals per area, showed division into three different groups by depth in the northwestern and southwestern East Sea.

Maturity and spawning of the giant Pacific octopus, Octopus dofleini was investigated based on the samples collected in the coast of Gangwondo, East Sea, from January to December in 2009. Individuals of mature stage had a higher occurrence rate from February toMay, and gonadosomatic index (GSI) also showed a higher value from February toMay than the other months. For that reason, the spawning period was estimated from February to May with the main spawning period from March to May. The total number of eggs in the fecundity (F) ranged from 9,045 in 11.0 kg (TW) to 148,682 in 16.5 kg (TW), which was proportional to total weight (TW), and the relationship between total weight and fecundity was F=0.185×TW2.238 (R2=0.389). The total weight at 50% group maturity (TW0.5) of female was estimated to be 12.2 kg.