The population of small yellow croaker, Larimichthys polyactis, in the Yellow and East China Seas has decreased significantly since the mid 1970s. Several management measures have been introduced to conserve it, but population size remains low. To rebuild this population, it is now necessary to consider more effective management methods based on the stock assessment. To determine long-term population changes, fishery and biological data collected over 34 years (1969-2002) were analysed. Yearly fish length compositions were analysed for the time periods 1968 through 1970, 1978 through 1982, and 1993 through 2002; and catch data was available from 1969 to 2002. Annual population sizes were calculated based on length composition, the relationship between total length and body weight, and total landings. Analyses showed that since the 1970s, average size of harvested fish decreased; the proportion of less mature fish (smaller than the 50% maturity length, 19cm) in catches has increased and the estimated biomass has decreased significantly. Consequently, the main management recommendation is that juvenile fish need to be better protected to allow the rebuilding of resources to a more sustainable population level. This will require fish size limit, permissible mesh size, and closed area and season regulations.

To investigate seasonal variation and species composition by depth layers in the deep sea ecosystem of the East Sea of Korea, bottom trawl survey was conducted at 4 depth layers during spring and autumn from 2007 to 2009. A total of 47 species were collected and were composed of 23 fish species, 9 crustacea, 6 cephalopoda and 9 gastropoda. The main dominant species at each depth layers were Chionoecetes opilio in 300m, Berryteuthis magister in 500m, Chionoecetes japonicus in 700m and 900m. In spring, richness indices (R) showed low value of 2.01 in 500m depth, and high value of 2.16 in 300m depth. Diversity indices (H') showed low value of 1.53 in 300m depth, and high value of 2.09 in 700m depth. Dominance indices (D) showed low value of 0.15 in 700m depth, and high value of 0.31 in 300m depth. In Autumn, richness indices showed low value of 1.48 in 900m depth, and high value of 2.69 in 300m depth. Diversity' indices (H') showed low value of 1.13 in 300m depth, and high value of 2.23 in 700m depth. Dominance indices (D) showed low value of 0.14 in 700m depth, and high value of 0.54 in 300m depth. In spring, similarity analysis in each depth layers showed the difference between 900m and othe depth layer, on the contrary 500m and 700m showed the similarity. In autumn, similarity analyssis in each depth layers showed the difference between 700m and other depth layers, on the contrary 300m and 500m showed the similarity.