This study conducted a marine experiment to improve the fishing system using miniaturized nets for anchovy boat seine to reduce the fleet size. As a result, the miniaturized net for anchovy boat seine properly opened the entrance of the bag net using the buoyancy of the flotation for position indication and the setting force of the ground rope without operating a separate fish detecting boat by attaching a large flotation at the entrances of the inside wing net and the bag net. This also enabled an operation type where the entrance of the bag net is confirmed using a flotation for position indication from a netting boat. The time and the number of people used for net casting and net hauling in the marine experiment were average of five minutes and 25-30 minutes, respectively, and 23-30 people for the existent net, while for the miniaturized large-scale net were average of three minutes and 23-25 minutes, respectively, and 19-25 people. This indicates that the operation time was shortened, the number of fish detecting boats was reduced by one boat, and the number of people for fishing work was decreased by four or five people due to the improvement of fishing operation system according to the reduction of fishing net size. As a result of measuring the shaft horsepower during net towing, the maximum net towing horsepower was 250 HP in comparison to the maximum RPM of the engine (1,200 RPM), indicating that the legal horsepower of 250 HP is enough to conduct net towing and the competitiveness of fishing using the net for anchovy boat seine is ensured through operation cost reduction.
To analyse and review the fishing performance and species composition according to the size of the entrance and mesh of the pot in the southern coastal waters (Tongyeong, Gyeongsangnam-do and Yeosu, Jeollanam-do), the experiment in this study caught one class, eight orders, 17 families, 23 species, 662 fishes, and 99,833 g. The largest number of fish species was Conger myriaster (301 fishes caught) accounting for 45.5%, followed by Octopus vulgaris (152) accounting for 23.0%, Charybdis japonica (45) accounting for 6.8%, Sebastiscus marmoratus (43) accounting for 6.5%, and Parapercis sexfasciata (42) accounting for 6.3%. Conger myriaster, Octopus vulgaris, Charybdis japonica, Sebastiscus marmoratus, and Parapercis sexfasciata accounted for 88.1% of the total catch. For other fish species, 68 fishes of 18 species were caught, accounting for 12.5% of the total. As a result of the total catch survey, the catch rate of Conger myriaster was the highest at 50.9% in B. 22 mm/280 mm. In addition, the average total length per fish increased as the entrance size increased. The weight ratios of Conger myriaster, Octopus vulgaris, and other fish species based on the total weight caught in each pots of the six species of test fishing gear are as follows. A pots 66.6%, 26.5%, 6.9%, B pots 57.2%, 24.5 %, 18.3%, C pots 43.2%, 31.5%, 25.3%, D pots 7.4%, 56.7%, 35.9%, E pots 43.6%, 0%, 56.4%, and F pots 5.0%, 79.6%, 15.4%.
To determine the diet of Ridged-eye flounder, Pleuronichthys cornutus in the South Sea of Korea, a total of 207 individuals were collected in 2022 (February, April, May, August, and November) and 2023 (January, February, April, July, and October) by the Fisheries science survey vessels of NIFS. The total length (TL) range of these specimens was from 14.1 to 33.9 cm, and the stomach contents of 100 individuals, not on an empty stomach, were analyzed. Polychaeta was the most important prey component in the diets of P. cornutus based on an Index of relative importance (%IRI) of 55.5%. Followed by amphipoda with a %IRI value of 21.3%. Polychaeta was an important component in diets across all size classes (< 20.0 cm, 20.0-25.0 cm, ≥ 25.0 cm) of P. cornutus; as they grew, the %IRI value of amphipoda decreased and the %IRI value of anthozoa and holothuroidea increased. There was also a significant increase in the mean weight of prey per stomach with growth. P. cornutus consumed polychaeta in all seasons, with spring and autumn being the most dominant seasons. In summer, gastropoda was the dominant prey, and in winter, holothuroidea was the dominant prey.
Researching and estimating the ecological characteristics of target fish species is crucial for fisheries resource management. The results of these estimates significantly influence stock assessments and management reference points such as size limit and closed seasons. Recently, ecological characteristics have been changing due to overfishing, climate change, and marine pollution, making continuous estimation and monitoring essential. This study analyzed the ecological changes in small yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) resources in Korea over 24 years (2000-2023) using biological data (growth and gonad traits). By estimating the annual length-weight relationship and length at maturity (L50 and L95), we interpreted the numerical trends of early maturation due to resource depletion. The parameter b of the length-weight relationship, indicating the nutritional status of the resources, showed a slight increase over the years, suggesting relatively good nutritional status (b > 3.0) during most periods. Trend analysis between length at maturity and biomass indicated that as biomass decreased, maturity length also decreased.
Considering the negative impact of IUU fishing on fishery resources and fishery management, a revised approach for estimating risks of the ecosystem-based fisheries assessment (EBFA) of Zhang et al. (2011) was developed that incorporates three components of the IUU (illegal, unreported and unregulated) fishing as penalties. In this study, we introduced ways to develop indicators of IUU fishing suitable for the Korean fishery and apply them to ecosystem-based resource assessment. The indicator for the illegal fishing component was set as the fishing without licenses or permits, and that for the unreported fishing component was set as unreported fishing activities. Indicators for the unregulated fishing component were set as fishing operated by illegal fishing gear, illegal fish capture, fishing operations in prohibited fishing area, and fishing with restrict permits. IUU fishing significantly impacts the stock of target species. Therefore, in this study, the influence of IUU fishing is included in the Species Risk Index (SRI) at the species level, and weights are assigned based on the ratio of the stock, as ․ . The revised ecosystem-based fisheries assessment method, which considers the impact of IUU fishing, was applied to major fisheries on the south coast of Korea. It is necessary to reduce the non-reporting rate through the expansion of the TAC system and improve the accuracy of statistical compilation. To this end, the electronic fishing reporting system, which is being implemented on all vessels in Korean distant water fishing vessels, should be introduced to the coastal and offshore fisheries as well.
We presented foundational findings regarding the occurrence and acoustic characteristics of the finless porpoise through passive acoustic and visual surveys conducted on the southern coast of Korea, specifically at Hadong Jungpyeong Port. Over a survey period spanning from July 8 to August 16, 2023, totaling 40 days, we observed peaks in the number of clicks produced by this species on July 15, July 24, August 4, August 11, and August 16. The highest count, totaling 18,924 clicks, was recorded on July 15th, while the lowest count, at 3,888 clicks, occurred on August 8th. Examining the acoustic characteristics throughout the diurnal cycle, we found that the peak activity in terms of DPM (detection positive minute for one hour), DP10M (DPM for ten minutes), and overall number of click sounds was observed between 05:00 and 08:00, with a secondary peak occurring from 17:00 to 18:00. The quietest period was noted between 23:00 and 02:00. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in the number of clicks from sunrise, with the maximum count of 21,581 clicks recorded at 6 AM. This count gradually decreased until noon, experienced a slight increase thereafter, peaked again at sunset, and then declined. The dominant frequency mode of this species was 126 kHz, with a concentration ranging from 112 to 136 kHz. The average duration of a click sound was 127 ㎲, with approximately 16 sinusoids (cycles) within each click sound and an average cycle length of approximately 7.9 ㎲. These findings from our study are anticipated to serve as foundational data for the development of a Korean pinger and acoustic warning system.
In response to the global interest and efforts towards reducing plastic use and promoting resource recycling, there is a growing need to establish methods for recycling discarded fishing gear. In Korea, various technologies are being developed to recycle discarded fishing gear, but significant technical and policy challenges still remain. In particular, biodegradable gill nets require a pre-treatment process to separate biodegradable materials from other substances and to remove salt before recycling. Therefore, this study aims to develop a pre-treatment device for recycling biodegradable gill nets and to evaluate the feasibility of recycling them.
Climate change has led to a significant increase in jellyfish populations globally, causing various problems. For power plants that use nearby seawater for cooling, the intrusion of jellyfish into intake systems can block the flow, leading to reduced output or even shutdowns. This issue is compounded by other small marine organisms like shrimp and salps, making it urgent to develop solutions to prevent their intrusion. This study addressed the problem using the BioSonics DT-X 120 kHz scientific fish finder to conduct preliminary tank experiments. We also deployed underwater acoustic and camera buoys around the intake of nuclear power plant, utilizing a bidirectional communication system between sea and land to collect data. Data collection took place from July 31, 2023 to August 1, 2023. While harmful organisms such as jellyfish and salps were not detected, we successfully gathered acoustic data on small fish measuring backscattering strength (SV). Analysis showed that fish schools were more prominent in the evening than during the day. The highest fish distribution was observed at 3:30 AM on July 31 with an SV of -44.8 dB while the lowest was at 12:30 PM on the same day with an SV of –63.4 dB. Additionally, a solar-powered system was used to enable real-time data acquisition from sea buoys with smooth communication between the land server and the offshore buoy located 1.8 km away. This research developed an acoustic-based monitoring system for detecting harmful organisms around the intake and provided foundational data for preventing marine organism intrusion and planning effective measures.
This study attempted to solve the problem that the current safety education contents of Korean fishing vessels are not consistent with the STCW-F Convention and do not properly reflect the actual operating environment of the fishing vessels. Despite the reinforced duty of safety education for fishing vessels after the Ferry Sewol accident, the problem has been pointed out that the effectiveness is still low due to merchant-oriented education contents and uniform education methods. Therefore, this study compared and analyzed laws related to safety education for fishing vessels and the STCW-F Convention, and derived improvement measures by collecting voices from the field through a survey of fishing vessels. As a result of the study, it was confirmed that the current fishing vessel safety education does not take into account the reality of fishing such as fishing vessel type, navigation distance, and ship output, and that the core curriculum required by STCW-F Convention is omitted. In addition, it was found that education content on major accident types that frequently occur along the coast was also insufficient. In order to improve this, this study proposes to re-establish the target of safety education for fishing vessels based on STCW-F Convention related to fishing vessels, and to prepare a segmented education system by reorganizing the training contents to suit reality. In addition, the need to clearly distinguish the education of merchant and fishing vessels through the revision of the Seafarers Act and the Ship Employees Act was suggested, and to establish a safety education system for fishing vessels that meets STCW-F Convention and domestic conditions.
This study quantitatively analyzes risks of industrial incidents to fisher on overseas tuna purse seiners and long liners. A Bayesian network is employed to analyze 478 cases of industrial incidents, comprising 401 cases from purse seiners and 77 cases from long liners, reported from 2019 to 2022. The highest risk of industrial incidents on purse seiners is attributed to diseases. Excluding diseases, risks are the highest during fishing: 5.31 times higher during catch handling, 2.05 times higher during maintenance, and 2.38 times higher during loading and unloading. The risk of industrial incidents caused by the hull is 9.50 times higher than those caused by fishing gear, 4.59 times higher than those caused by machinery, and 3.61 times higher than those caused by the caught fish. Among the types of industrial incidents, slips are the highest: 2.58 times higher than industrial incidents caused by being bump, 3.74 times higher than those caused by hit, and 3.94 times higher than those caused by imbalance and overexertion. For long liners, most industrial incidents are concentrated in diseases, with dental, musculoskeletal, skin, and respiratory diseases being the primary types of industrial incidents identified. This study aims to propose reduction measures for reducing the high-risk form of industrial incidents, specifically slips, and to present health management strategies for preventing diseases among fisher on overseas tuna fishing vessels. By addressing these aspects, this study seeks to contribute to the safety and sustainability of the overseas tuna fishing industry.