The change of fishing power index was analyzed to identify the development of the vessel and gear technology that may improve the fishing efficiency of the offshore conger eel pot fishery from 1980s to 2015. Gross tonnage per fishing vessel was rapidly increased annually. The standard of pot was maintained, but the number of pot used rapidly increased by using conger eel pot hauling devices, carrying and loading devices, main line hauler, casting devices and slide type pot. Fish finder system to identify fishing ground information and the conger eel pot hauling devices were modernized, and supply rate was also increased. Therefore, the relative fishing power index in the offshore conger eel pot fishery increased from 1.0 in 1980 to 1.3 in 1990, to 1.8 in 2000 and to 2.0 in 2015. The results are expected to contribute to reasonable fisheries stock management of the offshore conger eel pot fishery.

Thousands of pelagic and demersal fishes inhabit the waters around Korea and many of them are overexploited. One of the reasons is technological development, which increases the efficiency of the vessels continuously. The analysis was conducted to identify the change of fishing power index to develop the vessel and gear technology that may have improved the fishing efficiency of the otter trawl fishery from 1960s to 2010s. Gross tonnage was decreased stably, but horse power was increased annually. The perimeter of net mouth was somewhat longer, but little changed. Color fish finder was utilized from the mid-1960s. Hydraulic net drum were introduced in the early 1990s, and supply rate was gradually increased. Surveys on the supply and upgrading of fishing equipment utilized visiting research. Therefore, the relative fishing power index in the trawl fishery increased about two to three times in the 2010s compared to the 1980s. The results are expected to contribute to reasonable fisheries stock management.

Thousands of demersal fishes inhabit in the waters around Korea and most of them are overexploited. One of reasons is technological development, which increases the efficiency of the vessels continuously. The analysis was conducted to identify the change of fishing power index to develop the vessel and gear technology that may have improved the fishing efficiency of the Danish seine fishery from 1960s to 2010s. Gross tonnage was decreased stably, but the horse power was increased annually. The length of ground rope, warp and hand rope was somewhat longer, but changed a little. Color fish finder was utilized from the mid-1960s and positioning system was used five years later. A hydraulic line hauler were introduced in the mid-1980s, and supply rate was gradually increased. Surveys on the supply and upgrading of fishing equipment utilized visiting researchers. Therefore, the relative fishing power index in the Danish seine fishery increased stably from 1.0 in 1970 to 1.0 in 1980, to 1.2 in 1990, to 1.3 in 2000 and to 1.3 in 2010. The results are expected to contribute to reasonable fisheries stock management.

The small yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) is one of the representative high-class fish species in Korea. The catch of small yellow croaker in adjacent water fisheries has been continuously decreasing from 59,226 tons in 2011 to 19,271 tons in 2016. The small yellow croaker is caught by gillnet, stow net and bottom trawl, among which about 55~65% is caught by gillnet. For the sustainable use of small yellow croaker, the fishing power of small yellow croaker drift gillnet is very important. Therefore, the change of fishing power index were analyzed to identify the development of the vessel and gear technology that may have improved the fishing efficiency of the small yellow croaker drift gillnet fishery from 1960s to 2010s. Gross tonnage and horse power per fishing vessel was increased annually. The mesh size was 75.0 mm in the 1960s, but reduced to 60.6 mm in the 1980s and to 51.0 mm in the 2000s. In the 1960s, it was hauled out by manpower. However, the net hauler were modernized and supply rate was also increased since 1970. Due to the mechanization of the net hauler, the number (length) of used net gradually increased from 1.5 km in the 1960s to 7.5 km in the mid-1980s and to 15 km in 2010. Colour fish finders and positioning system were introduced and utilized from the mid-1980s. Surveys on the supply and upgrading of fishing equipment utilized visiting research. Therefore, the relative fishing power index in the small yellow croaker drift gillnet fishery increased from 1.0 in 1980 to 0.8 in 1970, to 1.1 in 1990, to 1.6 in 2000 and to 1.9 in 2010. The results are expected to contribute to reasonable fisheries stock management of the small yellow croaker drift gillnet fishery.

Squid is one of the important fisheries resources in Korea. Therefore, squid has been designated and managed as a target species of total allowable catch (TAC) since 2007, but the catch amount is gradually decreasing. The analysis was conducted to identify the change of relative fishing power index to develop the vessel and gear technology that may have improved the fishing efficiency of the offshore squid jigging fishery from 1960s to 2010s. Gross tonnage per fishing vessel increased with the increase in size until 1990, but then gradually decreased to 41.0 tons in 2000 and 37.1 tons in 2010. The illuminating power (energy consumption) by fishing lamps increased to 180 kW in 2005 and stabilized to 120 kW in 2015. Jigging machine started to be supplied to fishing vessels from the early 1970s, and fish finders began to be supplied in the early 1980s and gradually increased. Therefore, the relative fishing power index in the offshore squid jigging fishery increased from 1.0 in 1980 to 1.1 in 1990, to 3.5 in 2000 and to 2.5 in 2010, but the increment rate slowed down gradually. The results are expected to contribute to reasonable fisheries stock management.

Lots of fishery stocks are overexploited and the overcapacity exists in Korean fishing fleets. One of the reasons is technological development, which increases the efficiency of the vessels continuously. The analysis was conducted to identify the change of fishing power index to develop the vessel and gear technology that may have improved the fishing efficiency of the offshore large powered purse seine fishery from 1960s to 2010s. Gross tonnage and horse power per fishing vessel was increased annually. Fishing gear material was changed to the knotless webbing to settle faster. Fishing equipments was modernized and supply rate was also increased. Therefore the relative fishing power index in the offshore large powered purse seine fishery increased from 0.4 in 1970 to 1.0 in 1980, to 1.5 in 2000 and to 1.6 in 2010, but the rate of increase slowed down gradually. The results are expected to contribute to reasonable fishery stock management.