In order to understand basic data for improving the fishing system and fishing vessel structure in coastal improved stow net fishery, a questionnaire survey and on-site hearing were conducted from May 10 to June 11, 2019 to analyze opinions on the improvement of operation status and fishing vessel structure. The questionnaire survey consisted of ten questions on the operation status of coastal improved stow net fishery and six questions on the improvement of fishing vessel structure, and the results of each question were analyzed by the region, the captain’s age, the captain’s career and the age of fishing vessel. As a result of analyzing opinions on the operation status of the coastal improved stow net fishery, it was found that the average time required for casting net was 32.8 to 33.0 minutes and that the average time required for hauling net was 41.0 to 42.2 minutes which took 10 to 12 minutes more than for casting net. The most important work requiring improvement during fishing operation (the first priority) were ‘hauling net operation,’ ‘readjustment and storage of fishing gear,’ and ‘fish handling’ and the hardest factor in fishing management were in the order of ‘reduction of catch,’ ‘labor shortage’ and ‘rising labor costs.’ The most institutional improvement that is most needed in coastal improved stow net fishery was an ‘using fine mesh nets.’ Most of the respondent to the questions on the experience in hiring foreign crews was ‘either hiring or willing to hire foreign crews,’ and the average number of foreign crews employed was found to be 2.3 to 2.4 persons. The most important reason for hiring (or considering employment) foreign crews was ‘high labor costs.’ The degree of communication with foreign crews during fishing operation were ‘moderate’ or ‘difficult to direct work.’ The most important problem in hiring foreign crews (the first priority) was an ‘illegal departure.’ As the survey results on the opinion of structural improvement of coastal improved stow net fishing vessel, the degree of satisfaction with fishing vessel structure related to fishing operation was found to be somewhat unsatisfactory, with an average of 3.3 points on a five-point scale. The inconvenient structure of fishing vessel in possession (the first priority), the space needed most for the construction of new fishing vessel (the first priority) and the space considered important for the construction of new fishing vessel (the first prioprity) was a ‘fish warehouse.’ The most preferred equipment for the construction of new fishing vessel were ‘engine operation monitoring’ and ‘navigation safety devices.’ The average size (tonnage class), the average horse power and the average total length of fishing vessel for proper profit and safety fishing operation was between 13.8 and 14.0 tonnes, 808.3 to 819.5 H.P. and 23.4 to 23.5 meters, respectively. The results of the operation status of coastal improved stow net fishery and the requirement for improving the fishing vessel structure are expected to be provided as basic data for reference when we build or improve the fishing vessel.

In this study, factors such as improvement of a fishing process and safety, reduction of the labor force and headcount and development of the automation technology for offshore (eel and crab) pot fishing vessels were analyzed. A questionnaire survey was conducted to analyze and select the key factors using independent/paired sample t-test and correlation analysis, and a living lab was operated with ship owners, skippers and experts to discuss practical needs of the site. From the result of questionnaire survey and field requirements, it was possible to understand the level of awareness of ship safety, general safety equipment, fishing work process and fishing safety equipment from the point of view of the field. In addition, there were differences in the measurement results of each items because the working environment and experience were different according to the position of the ship owner and the skipper. The results of the questionnaire survey and various perceptions of field stakeholders were reflected when analyzing the fishing system and fishing process to choose the development equipment applicable to the field. From the analysis results, the selected development equipment based on the fishing equipment and process currently in operation are pot washing device, catch separation and fish hold injection device, length limit regulations and bait ejection device after use, automatic main line winding device, bait crusher, automatic (crab) pot hauling separator and so on.

Interviews and boarding surveys were conducted in order to understand the actual usage of octopus pot in the coastal composite fishery in Jeollanam-do. According to the results of the interviews conduced by visiting the areas (Goheung, Yeosu and Wando), the number of octopus pots per nine-ton vessel were 30,000-80,000, and the number of daily usage pots were 7,000-10,000. The number of octopus pots per four-ton vessel was 40,000, and the number of daily usage pots were 4,000. As a result of the survey on two octopus pot fishing boats (9.77-ton and 4.99-ton) in Yeosu area, the daily catch weight of 9-ton class vessel was the minimum of 66.9 kg and the maximum of 159.6 kg. The daily catch weight of the four-ton class fishing vessel was from 31.3 kg to maximum 85.6 kg. The average number of octopus pot used per day in the nine-ton class vessel was 6,821 (the minimum of 6,031 and the maximum of 7,697) and 3,181 (the minimum of 2,282 and the maximum of 3,878) in the four-ton class vessel.

The Korean stow net is a fishing method that utilizes the changing direction of the net entrance with the tidal current. This study attempted to obtain basic data from the recent offshore stow net fisheries to improve the gear by analyzing the dynamic behavior of the nets affected by current speed and direction using computer simulations. A numerical calculation was performed at a current speed of 0.5 knot between 2.5 knot at each 0.5 knot. The time taken for the gear opening was the longest from 0.5 knot at 1,500 seconds and the shortest from 2.5 knot at 450 seconds in the simulations. In all cases, the net width and tension at net deployment gradually decreased as the current speed decreased. However, the net height tended to increase inversely proportional to the current speed. During the net rotation, the net height was maintained at all cases. The net width and tension fluctuated, but the regularity was very low. In this study, the calculated simulation data showed that the opening efficiency decreased proportional to the current speed. The opening efficiency is related to the catching efficiency; therefore, it is necessary to improve the gear to enhance its opening efficiency.

This study aims to understand the opening efficiency of the finless porpoise escape guide net by the type of extension net that is the part to which the escape guide net is attached in stow net. To this end, extension nets were manufactured in full size and the net mouth area and towing tension were investigated according to the towing speed (0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 m/s) and the type of extension net (25 mm net and raschel net) in the water tank. As a result, the net mouth area of the guide net was larger when the raschel net was used for the extension net than when the 25 mm net was used under all towing speeds. In addition, regardless of the type of extension net, the net mouth area reached about 80% of the maximum value at a towing speed of 0.4 m/s. In the field, fishing operation of stow net is performed only when the current speed is above 0.4 m/s. Therefore, the speed of 0.4 m/s was confirmed as a meaningful value to determine whether it is possible to operate. As a result of analyzing the relationship between the net mouth area of the guide net and the towing tension, it was confirmed that the difference in the net mouth area of the guide net according to the type of the extension net was due to the difference in the solidity ratio.