Tuna purse seine fishery in the western and central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) has been rapidly developed since early 1980s due to massive investment of major distant water fishing nations, and catch by purse seine fishery operating in the WCPO accounts for nearly half of the world’s tuna total catch. As fishing efficiency is reflected by not only improving of individual vessel’s capacity but also increasing number of active vessel, it is essential to understand vessel capacity for reliable assessment result on how fishery affects stock status of target species. In this study, fishing efficiency was analyzed by main factors which are representative of vessel capacity using fishing data and vessel information related to Korean tuna purse seine fishery operating in the western and central Pacific Ocean from 1992 to 2014. It showed that fishing efficiency of vessel tends to be higher when having larger vessel tonnage, higher engine power, lower vessel age and larger length of vessel. As for fishing efficiency by set type, CPUE of associated set with floating objects was generally higher than that of free school set, and CPUE of free school set seemed to have a greater effect on engine power and vessel age compared to other factors.

• 이미경(국립수산과학원 원양자원과) | Mi Kyung LEE (Distant Water Fisheries Resources Research Division, National Institute of Fisheries Science, Busan 46083, Korea)
• 이성일(국립수산과학원 원양자원과) | Sung Il LEE (Distant Water Fisheries Resources Research Division, National Institute of Fisheries Science, Busan 46083, Korea) Corresponding author
• 김두남(국립수산과학원 원양자원과) | Doo Nam KIM (Distant Water Fisheries Resources Research Division, National Institute of Fisheries Science, Busan 46083, Korea)
• 구정은(국립수산과학원 원양자원과) | Jeong Eun KU (Distant Water Fisheries Resources Research Division, National Institute of Fisheries Science, Busan 46083, Korea)
• 권유정(국립수산과학원 원양자원과) | Youjung KWON (Distant Water Fisheries Resources Research Division, National Institute of Fisheries Science, Busan 46083, Korea)