Target strength of fishes for estimating biomass -Distribution characteristics and target strength measurement of micronektonic fish, Maurolicus muelleri in the East Sea
The in situ target strengths of, maurolicus muelleri were measured by the split beam echo sounder system at the frequency of 38kHz.Target strengths were measured during the night time in order to obtain the pure separated echoes from the scattered individual. And also it was to establish reasonable threshold due to taking the signals like as the planktons and etc.Since Maurolicus muelleri is a typical micronektonic fish, they mainly consisted of deep scattering layers(DSLs), and had a vertical migration perrodically during daytime and at night.We found that the Maurolicus muelleri occupied about 99% of total catch. Total length ranged from 4.5 to 5.7cm with a mean of 5.2cm and a standard deviation of 0.22cm.The target strengths of Maurolicus muelleir ranged from -60.4 to - 52.7dB and -59.2 to - 52.5 dB in the water layer of 10~30m and 30~50m depth, perspectively. Mean target strength was -57.1dB/fish and -28.5dB/kg. The target strength had the relation with the total length of the fish as, TS=20logL-71.4.