Changes in the fishing grounds for four drag-bagnet fisheries (large trawl, large pair trawl, large Danish seine and middle Danish seine) were investigated by year and sea-blocks in Korean waters. We used catch and effort data by sea-block (latitude × longitude: 30´ × 30´) of the National Institute of Fisheries Science (NIFS) and yearly fishing production statistics of the Korean statistic information service from 2008 to 2014. The main benthic habitat of fishing ground was sand and sandy mud material. The average swept areas for the four fisheries were 181.7 km2, 606.4 km2, 2,720.9 km2 and 252.8 km2, respectively. The main fishing ground was around Jeju Island and the eastern South Sea. The main fishing ground moved to the northern part of the South Sea during the study period due to a closure of fishing grounds and changes in the target species.
The breakdown of the Korea-Japan fishing negotiations since 2016 has made it impossible for many domestic fishing vessels to operate in the Japanese EEZ water, and large purse seine fishing vessels are one of them. Mackerel is a highly migratory fish species, circulating in the East China Sea, South Sea, West Sea and East Coast throughout the year, and goes through a period of wintering, spawning, growth and feeding migration. In this study, in order to find out the dependence of large purse seine fishing vessels on mackerel fishing in the Japanese EEZ waters, we analyzed the characteristics of mackerel by large purse seine fisheries in the Japanese EEZ waters from 2010 to 2016. The catch and fishing details were investigated. The total catch of mackerel by large purse seine fishery, the average catch rate of mackerel in Japanese EEZ is 4 percent per year. The amount is estimated at 10.2 billion won per year. Although there was an effect, it was not judged to be a significant factor, and it was found that the amount of catch and fish price in the domestic waters had a greater influence on the total catch than the Japanese EEZ waters.
Diet composition and trophic level of Trachurus japonicus were studied using 417 specimens collected by trawls, set nets and purse seine fisheries from March 2019 to February 2020 in the South Sea of Korea. The size of T. Japonicus ranged from 7.0 to 49.8 cm in total length. T. japonicus were a carnivore that fed mainly on euphausiids and pisces. In eddition, T. japonicus fed on small quantities of cephalopods, crabs etc. T. japonicus showed ontogenetic changes in feeding habits. The proportion of euphausiids decreased inversely proportional to body size whereas the consumption of pisces gradually increased. As body size of T. japonicus increased the mean number of prey per stomach and the mean weight of prey per stomach tended to increase, but the mean number of prey per stomach was not significantly different. As a result of the feeding strategy analysis, T. japonicus were specialized feeders with pisces and euphausiids as their dominant prey. The trophic level ranged between 3.57 ± 0.54 and 3.91 ± 0.65, and increased asymptotically with size of specimens. The average trophic level of the T. japonicus was 3.79 ± 0.61.
A single specimen of Chaetodon vagabundus Linnaeus, 1758 belonging to the family Chaetodontidae was collected on September 8, 2013 in Yerae-dong, Seogwipo-si, Jeju Island, Korea. The morphological characteristics of C. vagabundus are similar to C. auriga and C. auripes in having dark vertical stripes cross the eye, but differs from C. auriga, which has high dorsal fin extended between spine and soft rays without concavity and has blotch of circle in dorsal fin, and from C. auripes which has yellow body, big of eye proportion and a black stripe along the caudal peduncle during the immature stage. C. vagabundus has eye-like black spots on dorsal fin and black vertical stripe extended from the anterior dorsal soft ray to the middle of the anal fin along the caudal peduncle. Molecular analysis results showed that our specimen perfectly matched C. vagabundus in the mitochondrial DNA COI sequences. Therefore, we use the Korean name, “Hwang-jul-na-bi-go-gi” for C. vagabundus proposed by Kim et al. (2020).
During the ichthyoplankton survey around the Chilsan Island (previously known as the biggest spawning ground of the Sciaenidae) in the southwestern sea of Korea from April to June in 2019 using ring nets, we collected a total of 12 individuals belonging to the family Sciaenidae. Using molecular methods, we identified five sciaenid species (Collichthys lucidus, Collichthys niveatus, Johnius grypotus, Nibea albiflora, and Pennahia argentata), and described and compared them on the basis of the preflexion larval stage. C. lucidus was well distinguished by the presence of occipital crests at preflexion stage. Although there were no occipital crests, preflexion larva of C. niveatus was distinguished by the absence of melanophore except for the upper part of the abdominal cavity. J. grypotus and N. albiflora were very similar morphologically, but were distinguished by myomere height (15.22-15.53% in J. grypotus vs. 11.66-12.78% in N. albiflora) in the percentage of notochord length, and eye diameter (32.58-33.37% in J. grypotus vs. 40.32-42.53% in N. albiflora) in the percentage of head length between specimens of similar size (J. grypotus: 3.22-3.23 mm, N. albiflora: 3.04-3.13 mm). P. argentata were distinguished by distribution of ventral caudal melanophore (one row of small spot in P. argentata vs. irregular patches on the central part of caudal in J. grypotus and N. albiflora). Comparative morphological studies using more diverse species must be conducted for more comprehensive understanding of the morphogenesis of Sciaenidae.
The concern on the greenhouse gas emission is strongly increasing globally. In fishery industry section, the greenhouse gas emissions are an important issue according to The Paris Climate Change Accord in 2015. The Korean government has a plan to reduce the GHG emissions as 4.8% compared to the BAU in fisheries until 2020. Furthermore, the Korean government has also declared to achieve the carbon neutrality in 2050 at the Climate Adaptation Summit 2021. However, the investigation on the GHG emissions from Korean fisheries did not carry out extensively. Most studies on GHG emissions from Korean fishery have dealt with the GHG emissions by fishery classification so far. However, follow-up studies related to GHG emissions from fisheries need to evaluate the GHG emission level by species to prepare the adoption of environmental labels and declarations (ISO 14020). The purpose of this research is to investigate which degree of GHG emitted to produce the species (hairtail and small yellow croaker) from various fisheries. Here, we calculated the GHG emission to produce the species from the fisheries using the Life Cycle Assessment method. The system boundary and input parameters for each process level are defined for the LCA analysis. The fuel use coefficients of the fisheries for the species are also calculated according to the fuel type. The GHG emissions from sea activities by the fisheries will be dealt with. Furthermore, the GHG emissions for producing the unit weight species and annual production are calculated by fishery classification. The results will be helpful to understand the circumstances of GHG emissions from Korean fisheries.
This study was conducted to determine whether the layout of wheelhouse and work environment of coastal improved stow net fishing boats affect the physical abnormalities of wheelhouse workers through a survey and to use it as basic data to improve the wheelhouse work environment. The analysis results are as follows. The result of factor analysis on the wheelhouse work environment was classified into three factors: suitability of work environment, suitability of work space arrangement, and layout of navigational and fishing equipment. The result of factor analysis on physical abnormalities was divided into two factors: physical pain and fatigue. The results of regression model analysis showing factors affecting physical pain showed that the t-value in the regression model was 3.625 (p < 0.05), indicating that the work environment suitability had an effect on the physical pain. Work environment suitability had a significantly positive effect on the physical pain. As work environment suitability increased by 1, the physical pain increased by 0.371 (p < 0.05). The results of regression model analysis showing the influencing factors on fatigue were found to have a t-value of 3.009 (p < 0.05) in the regression model, indicating that the work environment suitability had a significantly positive effect on the feeling of fatigue. It was found that fatigue increased by 0.324 (p < 0.05) as the work environment suitability increased by 1. In addition, the manageability of task suitability was found to be t = –2.521 (p > 0.05). As the manageability of task suitability increased, the skipper’s fatigue level decreased. From these results, it is inferred that the wheelhouse of the current coastal improved stow net fishing boats causes physical pain and fatigue for the skippers. In order to reduce such physical pain and fatigue, and to improve safe fishing operation and job satisfaction, it is necessary to provide a wheelhouse to fishermen on coastal improved stow net fishing boats in consideration of the characteristics of the wheelhouse work of fishing boats and in consideration of users.
In this study, internationally widely utilized bioeconomic models were used to make a comparison and analyze the effectiveness of red snow crab fisheries management measures. As a specific effect analysis, biological and economic effects of both total allowable catch (TAC) and effort reduction management measures were analyzed simultaneously. Model results showed that the red snow crab biomass would be decreased from 106,000 tons to 73,076 tons after ten years when the TAC is set to and maintained at the current level of 26,000 tons. The amount of biomass would be increased to 125,316 tons when the level of TAC is set to 22,000 tons. In cases of reduced fishing efforts, a 30% decrease from the current level would result in greater biomass and NPV would be also estimated at the highest level. In addition, a sensitivity analysis by market price was conducted to analyze the minimum TAC level of the red snow crab offshore pot fishery. Results showed that the minimum TAC level would be 8,210 tons when the market price increased by 30% and it would be also 15,247 tons when the market price decreased by 30%. Furthermore, results of the sensitivity analysis by fishing cost showed that the minimum TAC level was analyzed to be 13,857 tons when the fishing cost increased by 30% from the current level.