The effects on the size selectivity for Muraenesox cinereus caught by coastal longline fishery were investigated in the southern coast of Korea from June 2 to 17, 2019. Four sizes of hooks (sizes 15, 17, 18 and 19) and two sizes of bait (sizes 9.9 g and 18.3 g) were tested in seven and three fishing trials, respectively. Such results revealed that smaller hook and bait size improved capture efficiency. And our results demonstrate that there was no significant size selectivity effect for hook size (ANOVA, p>0.05), but small bait improved on catching smaller fish (ANOVA, p<0.05).

The change of fishing power index was analyzed to identify the development of the vessel and gear technology that may improve the fishing efficiency of the offshore conger eel pot fishery from 1980s to 2015. Gross tonnage per fishing vessel was rapidly increased annually. The standard of pot was maintained, but the number of pot used rapidly increased by using conger eel pot hauling devices, carrying and loading devices, main line hauler, casting devices and slide type pot. Fish finder system to identify fishing ground information and the conger eel pot hauling devices were modernized, and supply rate was also increased. Therefore, the relative fishing power index in the offshore conger eel pot fishery increased from 1.0 in 1980 to 1.3 in 1990, to 1.8 in 2000 and to 2.0 in 2015. The results are expected to contribute to reasonable fisheries stock management of the offshore conger eel pot fishery.

This study is aimed to develop an improved shellfish dredge vessel considering the increase of the fishing safety and welfare of fishermen in Jeonnam province. We visited five fishing village societies in Korea, and conducted field surveys and survey questions to investigate the current status. In order to solve the problems presented by the investigation, a general arrangement of the improvement vessel was written and adopted after meeting between the fishermen and research team, and calculated the initial stability in five loading conditions by using the Napa program. As a result of field surveys and survey questions, the existing vessel have buoyant materials under the bow and the warp pass through the wheel-house. In addition, most fishing equipment and nets are concentrated on a narrow stern, making it difficult to work efficiently. According to the survey, fishermen also responded that operation of casting and hauling is very inconvenient. The fishing equipment of the improvement vessel was rearranged, the size of the wheel-house and the crew room was increased, and we secured a basic welfare space. As a result of the initial stability test, the stability criteria of the fishing vessel were satisfied in all loading condition.

The species composition and abundance variations of fishery resources in the adjacent marine ranching area, Tongyeong, Korea, were investigated by shrimp trawl, gill net, and longline during the period of July, September, and October in 2016. During the study period, the total catch were 8,522.9 kg with 34 species from the shrimp trawl, 32 species from the gill net, and nine species from the longline. The dominant species were different by gear, which were Hypodytes rubripinnis and Parapercis sexfasciata in the shrimp trawl, Platycephalus indicus and Raja kenojei in the gill net, and Conger myriaster and Scomber Japonicus in the longline. In terms of spatial distribution, Yongchodo showed the highest total catch in number as well as of in weight while Jukdo showed the lowest total catch in number and Bijindo showed the lowest total catch in weight. The amount of demersal fish resources in the survey area estimated as 301 ha, was 99,396 individuals which was converted to be 8,552.9 kg. The amount of demersal fish resources by gear were of trawling area, which area is 127 ha, were 76,251 and 3,489.5 kg, 74 ha in the gill net and longline survey area was 16,213 and 3,457.3 kg, and the other 100 ha area was 6,932 and 1,606.1 kg. In this study, the minimum resources for demersal fish is 61,687 and 4,265.2 kg, and the maximum is 149,439 and 14,197.9 kg.

This study was conducted in order to improve opening efficiency of the miniaturized small-scale net for anchovy boat seine gear to reduce the fleet size. Field experiment was performed to observe geometry of nets by catcher boats. When the distance between the two ships was 150, 300 and 450 m and the speed of towing nets was 0.6, 0.9, and 1.2 kt, the vertical opening and actual opening of each part of the miniaturized small-scale net was as follows: the front part of the wing net, 6.8-9.5 m, 45-63%; the middle part of the wing net, 16.1-30.7 m, 34-65%; the entrance of the inside wing net, 21.6-41.2 m, 44-84%; the square and bosom, 17.4-34.0 m, 38-75%; the entrance of the body net, 16.5-29.4 m, 36-64%; the entrance of the bag net, 14.5-21.9 m, 70-106%; the flapper, 6.7-7.7 m, 81-83%, and the end of the bag net, 8.6-10.9 m, 64-81%. The tension of towing nets was measured to be 2,734-6,812 kg approximately, which indicates that the fleet can tow nets with 350 hp, the standard engine horse power. The fishing operation time was shortened comparing to existent net with the large-scale buoy attachment operation. It was also possible to operate the ship without fish detecting boat.

Basic reproductive biology of the daggertooth pike conger, Muraenesox cinereus were investigated based on the samples from August 2015 to December 2017 in Korean waters. A total of 2,328 samples was collected (1,593 females and 735 males) during the study period. The mean anal lengths (AL) were 33.5 ± 9.2 cm in females and 26.2 ± 7.3 cm in males respectively. The females were larger than males in AL (p < 0.05). Sex ratio was 2.2:1 in female to male (p < 0.05). The gonadosomatic index (GSI) varied monthly. GSI of female reached the maximum in July 2016 and June 2017 and the minimum in October 2016 and September 2017 respectively. The spawning period was from June to October. The size at sexual maturity (L50) of females was estimated at 24.9 cm in AL (63.5 cm in TL).

This study was conducted in order to improve opening efficiency of the miniaturized large-scale net for anchovy boat seine gear to reduce the fleet size. Field experiments were performed to observe geometry of nets by catcher boats. When the distances between the two ships were 150, 300 and 450 m, and the speeds of towing nets were 0.6, 0.9, and 1.2 k't, respectively. The vertical opening and actual opening of each part of the miniaturized large-scale net was as follows: the front part of the wing net, 8.7-13.3 m, 51-78%; the middle part of the wing net, 28.1-34.2 m, 55-67%; the entrance of the inside wing net, 31.3-38.5 m, 60-73%; the square and bosom, 22.7-29.6 m, 47-62%; the entrance of the body net, 20.9-26.4 m, 42-52%; the entrance of the bag net, 17.2-21 m, 72-89%; the flapper, 13.2-15.3 m, 78-83%; and the end of the bag net, 13.2-15.7 m, 72-75%. By connecting the net pendants with the front part of the wing net, the opening of the front part of the wing net was significantly improved compared to the traditional gear, which ensured both the wing net and the inside wing net with a normal net height. This, in turn, increased the efficiency of herding. The height of the body and bag nets was also higher than that of the tradition gear. In particular, the body net attached to the gear significantly improved the pocket shape of the gear and reduced the number of fish that were caught and escaped from the bag net, which increased the rate of fishing. The tension of towing nets was measured approximately between 2,958 and 7,110 kg, which indicates that the fleet can tow nets with 350 ps, the standard engine horse power. The fishing operation time was shortened compared with of the existent net, and the large-scale buoy attachment operation was also possible to operate the ship without fish detecting boat.

This study was conducted in order to improve fishing gear for existent net of the anchovy boat seine. Field experiments were performed to observe geometry of nets by catcher boats. When the distances between the two ships were 100, 300, and 500 m, and the speeds of towing nets were 0.6, 0.9, and 1.2 k't, respectively. The vertical opening and actual opening of each part of the existent net was as follows: the middle part of the wing net, 12.9-26.6 m, 19-39%; the entrance of the inside wing net, 23.3-35.3 m, 40-60%; the square and bosom, 18.4-24.2 m, 37-49%; the entrance of the bag net, 19.0-23.3 m, 79-96%; the flapper, 13.2-15.3 m, 142-161%; and the end of the bag net, 13.2-15.7 m, 51-61%. The actual net opening of each part of the existent nets used in this study was lower than that of the design net height, due to the low net height of the wing net and the inside wing net, it limited a range of the net height of the square and bosom. The opening of the entrance of the bag net caused the net pocket shape and inflated some parts of the nets. The tension of towing nets was measured between 4.4 and 11.0 tons, and it is necessary to reduce the structure and improve the structure of the bag net.

For scientific research, a number of acoustic surveys using commercial echosounders equipped in fishing vessels were conducted throughout the world; however, few studies were performed in South Korea. Hence, this research is an preliminary study for presenting the application of a sounder from a fishing vessel. The fishing operations using a pair trawler (7 Cheonghae) was conducted in the Northwest-Western sea of Jeju Island from 20 to 23 April, 2016. Substantial impulse noises and attenuated signals were eliminated by the latest algorithms. Acoustic signals were grouped into the fish aggregations and long layer-like signals. The fish aggregations appeared between 30 and 60 m, and long layer-like signals showed the diurnal vertical migration. Energetic, morphological and positional properties of the fish aggregations and layer-like signals were described. The fish aggregations appeared mainly between sunrise and sunset; however layer-like signals tended to be presented regardless of time in consideration of the time series analysis. On the basis of the consignment sales, Scomberomorus niphonius, the target species of F/V 7 Cheonghae, was the highest catch with 4,280 kg (74.6%) and might have appeared in fish aggregations and layer forms.