This study analyzed the monitoring results of fishways at 16 weirs constructed on four large Rivers to provide data helpful for the operation and management of fishways. The average utilization rate of the fishways at the weirs was confirmed to be 64.9%. When comparing the dominant species in the mainstream and fishway monitoring results, differences were observed in 9 weirs (56.3%). This indicated that the species prevalent in the mainstream were not necessarily the ones most frequently using the fishways. The average number of individuals using the fishways per day was 336. When classifying the fish species using the fishway by life type, 92.3% were primary freshwater fish, and migratory species accounted for only 5.6%. Analysis based on the season of fishway usage revealed that an average or higher number of fish species used the fishways from May to October, with the highest number of individual users occurring from June to August. Between May and July, 80% of the fish species using the fishways were in their spawning period, while during other season, less than 40% were species that move during the spawning period. The fishways that showed a significant alignment between the spawning period and the fishway passage period were Rhinogobius brunneus, Leiocassis nitidus, Squalidus chankaensis tsuchigae, Pseudogobio esocinus, Acheilognathus rhombeus, and Pungtungia herzi, in that order. When comparing the fishway monitoring results of the Gangjeong-Goryeong Weir and the Dalseong Weir with the upper part water level of the weir, both the number of fish species and individuals using the fishway showed positive correlations with the upper part water level of the weir. This suggests that a higher water level of the weir increases the inflow discharge within the fishway, leading to increased use by fish (number of individuals in Gangjeong-Goryeong Weir, P<0.001; number of species in Dalseong Weir, P<0.05). This study summarized and analyzed the results of fishway monitoring at 16 weirs built on four large Rivers, considering fishway efficiency, operation and management, monitoring period, and regulation of water level in the upper part of the weir. It is thought that this will help understand the status of fish use in fishways on large River and aid the construction, operation, and management of fishways in the future.

Fish assemblage of total 325 of Korean peninsula estuaries were surveyed to analyze the characteristics of community structure and diversity by sea areas for three years from 2016 to 2018. The scale (stream width) of Korean estuaries were various (14~3,356 m), and 68.9% of all estuaries showed salinity of less than 2 psu. Total 149 species classified into 52 families of fish were identified, and the dominant and sub-dominant species were Tribolodon hakonensis (relative abundance, RA, 12.5%) and Mugil cephalus (RA, 9.5%), respectively. The estuary of the Korean Peninsula had different physical and chemical habitat environments depending on the sea area, and accordingly, fish community structure also showed statistically significant differences (PERMANOVA, Pseudo-F=26.69, P=0.001). In addition, the NMDS (nonmetric multidimensional scaling) results showed the patterns that indicating fish community difference by sea areas, even though low community similarity within sea area (SIMPER, 21.79~26.39%). The estuaries of east sea areas were distinguished from the others in the aspects of which, the higher importance of migratory fishes and endangered species, and that of brackish species were characterized at south sea estuaries. However, the estuaries of west sea showed higher importance of species that have a relation with freshwater (primary freshwater species, exotic species), which is the result that associating with the lower salinity of west sea estuaries because of the high ratio of closed estuaries (78.2%). The SIMPER analysis, scoring the contribution rates of species to community similarity, also showed results corresponding to the tendency of different fish community structures according to each sea area. So far, In Korea, most studies on fish communities in estuaries have been conducted in a single estuary unit, which made it difficult to understand the characteristics of estuaries at the national level, which are prerequisite for policy establishment. In present study, we are providing fish community structure characteristics of Korean estuaries in a national scale, including diversity index, habitat salinity ranges of major species, distribution of migratory species. We are expecting that our results could be utilized as baseline information for establishing management policies or further study of Korean estuaries.

This study was conducted on October 23, 2020 at the Cheongpyeong Reservoir located in Seorakmyeon, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do, and analyzed the horizontal and vertical distribution patterns of fish based on data obtained using fishfinder. The total surface area of fishfinder survey conducted was 782,853 m2, and where the water depth (WD) ranges from 10 m to 12 m is widest which 31.7% of total surface area. As a result of the heat map analysis, fish density was highest at right bank under the Gapyeong-bridge, but there was no specific pattern in horizontal distribution of fish. As a result of vertical distribution of fish analysis, 86.6% of fishes are observed at below 6 m of the fish depth (FD, distance from water surface to fish). As a result of the relative height (RH, water depth-distance from bottom to fish ratio) analysis, there was a tendency that fishes are distributed in near surface area more as the WD increased. This tendency could have various reasons such as water temperature gradient along the water depth, and further studies are required for detailed explanation.

본 연구는 환경부 멸종위기야생생물 1급으로 지정되어 있는 남방동사리의 분포와 서식지 특성을 확인하였다. 조사는 남방동사리의 주요 서식지로 알려져 있는 산양천 수계 (산양천, 구천천, 유입 지천)에서 이루어졌으며, 2016년 4월과 8월에 현장조사가 이루어졌다. 조사 결과 산양천 하류 S1~S3 지점을 제외한 전체 지점에서 남방동사리의 서식이 확인되었다. 서식 범위가 유입지천의 최상류에서 염도의 영향을 받지 않는 산양천 최하류까지이며, 남방동사리가 1차담수어이기 때문에 염도가 서식에 가장 큰 제한 요인이었다. 이외 서식처 및 산란처로 활용되는 하상구조가 중요한 요인으로 확인되었으며, 서식이 확인된 모든 지점에서 작은돌 (cobble) 크기 이상이 50% 이상을 차지하였다. 남방동사리의 상세한 분포지역이 본 연구에서 처음 보 고가 될 정도로 국내 서식하는 남방동사리에 대한 연구가 매우 부족하다. 따라서, 이러한 남방동사리의 보호 전략을 마련하기 위해서는 남방동사리의 생리, 생태에 대한 과학 적인 연구가 이루어질 필요성이 있다.

The accurate estimation of fish assemblages is highly dependent on the sampling gear used for sampling. We used data from 15 sampling sites along the Nakdong River, which is a large river in South Korea, to identify differences in assemblages and sizes of freshwater fishes collected with either cast nets or gill nets, the two most commonly used sampling gear in South Korea. The two gears differed in the fish assemblages they captured, with more species caught by gill nets. Further, due to its tighter mesh size, the cast net caught significantly smaller fishes than the gill nets (independent t-test, p<0.05). We found the cast net to be appropriate for species that inhabit shallow (less than 2 m) and open water, but inappropriate for deep water, habitats with plant beds, and nocturnal species. Thus, cast net sampling is not efficient in a large river environment, and a combination of sampling methods is more suitable for understanding fish assemblages in such habitats. In general, appropriate selection of fishing methods to specific habitats is necessary to improve data quality and minimize the misrepresentation of environmental conditions.

본 연구는 wadeable stream (1차~4차 하천)을 대상으로 보의 유·무에 따른 어류군집의 차이를 분석하였다. 하천의 규모에 따른 차이를 분석하기 위해서 하천차수로 구분 하여 보의 유·무가 어류군집에 영향을 미치는지를 파악하였으며, 3차와 4차 하천에서 어류군집의 차이가 확인되었다 (P<0.005, PERMANOVA). 보의 유·무에 따라 총 출현 종수, 총 출현 개체수, 종 풍부도와 같은 요인들이 차이를 나타냈으며, 외래종, 고유종, 보호종 개체수의 경우 차이를 나타 내지 않았다. SIMPER 분석을 통해서 어류군집 차이에 주로 기여하는 종을 분석한 결과 해당 차수의 하천에 우점적으로 나타나는 피라미 (Zacco platypus), 참갈겨니 (Zacco koreanus), 돌고기 (Pungtungia herzi)와 같은 보편종으로 확인되었다 (contribution>5%). 이들 종은 모두 보가 있는 지점에 서 평균 상대풍부도가 높게 나타났으며, 보로 인해 변화된 환경이 이들 종에 대해서 주요 서식처를 제공하는 것으로 판단되었다. 본 연구는 전국 범위에서 보가 어류군집에 미치는 영향을 분석하여 경향성을 제시하였으며, 이러한 결과는 향후 보의 관리를 위한 연구에 효과적으로 활용할 수 있을 것이다.

A recent topic of interest within ecology is ecosystem services that are importantly connected with biodiversity. Biodiversity is a fundamental component of ecological studies and has been the subject of many studies worldwide. However, studies on the diversity and distribution of freshwater fish were not undertaken in earnest until 2000, and the number of internationally available studies is therefore still limited. In this study, we used data from “The Survey and Evaluation of Aquatic Ecosystem Health (hereafter SEAEH)” within the framework of which whole water systems on the Korean peninsula are annually monitored to investigate and determine the current status of the diversity and distribution of freshwater fish, as well as to elucidate major factors impacting freshwater fish. A total of 130 species from 28 families were identified at around 953 sites in the SEAEH investigation of 2014. The species Zacco platypus (relative abundance: 28.2%) and Z. koreanus (19.3%) were identified as the most abundant species on the Korean peninsula, and besides these 20 endangered species, 51 endemic species and 4 exotic species were also collected. Highest (96 species) and lowest (72 species) diversity were identified in the Han River Watershed and the Yeongsan/Seomjin River Watershed, respectively. The mean endemic rate was 32.7%, which is higher than the previous rate determined in 1995. The exotic species Micropterus salmoides, Lepomis macrochirus and Carassius cuvieri were found in the whole river system except north Yeongdong, whereas Oreochromis niloticus occurred only at three sites due to the cold water temperatures in winter. Totally, 28 species were found to be translocated to different water systems not connected with known original habitats, most translocations occurring in the Nakdong River and the Yeongdong region. Among the translocated species, Opsariichthys uncirostris amurensis, and Erythroculter erythropterus were dominantly distributed in the mid- to lower reaches of Nakdong River where they may be harmful to the native fish assemblages due to their strong predation. The construction of weirs in connection with the “4 River Project” generated changes in fish assemblages before, during and after the project, resulting in altered habitat condition. Especially, a decrease in the number of endemic species and an increase in the abundance of lentic species were seen. Human-induced global warming will allow exotic species requiring high water temperatures to adapt to the environmental conditions of the Korean peninsula, which may enhance the diversity of native fishes and create changes in distribution. For the establishment of realistic and efficient management and protection strategies for Korean freshwater fish, SEAEH, which produces fundamental and quantitative data for Korean streams, is an important and necessary tool.

To secure water resources, dams are normally constructed on the upper - middle part of streams, and it generates physical disturbances such as habitat alteration and stream fragmentation. Such construction can restrict movement of aquatic organisms, especially for freshwater fish which is one of top predator in aquatic ecosystem, and cause genetic fragmentation and community change. In this study, to investigate impact of habitat alteration after dam construction on freshwater fish, we monitored fish community changes, and compared fish fauna between dam reservoir and inflows. Additionally, movement characteristics and habitat boundaries of four species were identified by radio telemetry method. The study was conducted in the Gunwi Dam which was constructed in December 2010. Radio telemetry was applied to Pungtungia herzi, Zacco platypus (living lotic and lentic), Silurus asotus (lentic preferred species) and Zacco koreanus (lotic preferred species). The number of species was remarkably decreased (4 family, 10 species) comparing with before the dam construction (7 family, 15 species). Specifically, Coreoleuciscus splendidus, Niwaella multifasciata, Liobagrus mediadiposalis, Coreoperca herzi and Odontobutis platycephala that inhabit in the lotic environment were not collected in the study area. A total of 8 species were caught in both the dam reservoir and tributaries except 2 species (C. auratus and S. asotus). Sorenson’s similarity between the reservoir and its tributaries was high (0.842). All of the radio tagged species stayed in the reservoir except S. asotus which moved to the tributary. These species mainly utilized the shallow littoral zone as a habitat. These results could be useful as a baseline data for efficient management of fishes in lakes.

In South Korea, various nature-like fishways recently been installed for use by a wide variety of fish species. However, limited attempts have been made to monitor the fish utilization. The present study was conducted to ascertain the frequencies and patterns of utilization of the fishway installed at Beakjae Weir. We collected fish species that use the fishway by installing a fyke net at the exit of the fishway at least once a month from April 2013 to October 2013. Additionally, in order to identify all fish species that can potentially use the fishway, we investigated the fish fauna downstream to Beakjae Weir (mainstream of the Geum River). We found that 10 species belonging to 2 families used the fishway; this accounted for 64% of the total species inhabiting the mainstream. The species that used the fishway most frequently were Microphysogobio jeoni, followed by Squaliobarbus curriculus and Opsariichthys uncirostris amurensis. The highest number of fish using the fishway was observed in August, which was positively correlated with the water temperature (Spearman rank correlation, rs=0.743, P=0.035). The sizes of the fish using the fishway varied widely, with the total body length ranging from 39 mm to 550 mm. Analysis of the time-dependent utilization frequency revealed that most fish used the fishway during the night (20:00~08:00). Compared to other fishways installed along the Geum River, the fishway installed at Beakjae Weir was used by fewer species and fish. This may be attributed to the structural inadequacy of the fishway, thereby resulting in a low attraction efficiency. Therefore, measures should be adopted to enhance the fishway attraction and passage efficiency. The results of this study can be used to ensure efficient operation and management of the Beakjae Weir fishway as well as serve as basic data for developing and building nature-like fishways tailored to Korean situations.

쏘가리는 국내 주요 경제성 어종이며 방류 및 복원사업의 대상 어종 중 하나이다. 본 연구는 금강의 보 설치구간에서 쏘가리의 이동 특성 및 서식처 범위 등을 평가하기 위해 Radio telemetry를 이용하여 연구를 실시하였다. 연구 결과 산란기에 방류한 개체들의 경우 방류 즉시 상류로 10 km 이상 소상하였지만, 비 산란기에 방류한 개체들은 2개체를 제외한 모든 개체들이 방류 지점으로부터 400 m 이내에서 정착하였다 (Ss11, 3.2 km; Ss 15, 1.4 km). 산란기에 상류로 소상한 개체들이 정착한 지점의 서식처 특성은 기존에 알려진 쏘가리의 산란장 특성과 유사하게 나타났으며, 현재 퇴적이 진행되고 있는 상태였다. 쏘가리가 감지는 수변부에서 높은 비율로 나타났으며, 이는 수변부에 큰 돌이 많이 분포하는 것, 쏘가리가 주로 돌 틈에 숨어서 서식하는 특성과 관련이 있는 것으로 판단된다. 쏘가리의 개체 특성과 이동거리와의 상관관계 분석 결과 무게와 비대지수가 이동거리와 양의 상관관계를 보였으며 성별과 크기는 이동거리와 관련이 없는 것으로 나타났다. 일주기 이동범위 분석 결과 214.94 m2~3,257.19 m2로 나타났으며 주로 수변부에 국한되어 있는 것으로 확인되었다. 이와 같은 결과는 쏘가리 방류사업, 혹은 복원에 유용한 자료로 활용될 수 있을 것으로 판단된다.

새만금호는 새만금 간척사업을 통해 2006년에 완공된 인공 호로 현재 담수화가 진행되고 있다. 본 연구는 새만금호 내의 염도 별 어류분포를 확인하여 담수화가 진행되고 있는 새만금호의 어류분포 변화 예측에 도움이 되는 자료를 마련하고자 실시하였다. 어류조사는 새만금 호내 10지점에 대해 총 4회에 걸쳐(2012년 2월~10월) 어류군집과 염도를 조사하였다. 조사결과 전체지점에서 총 34과 71종이 채집되었으며, 우점종은 Thryssa kammalensis (16.1%), 아우점종은 Konosirus punctatus (12.8%)로 새만금호내 해양성 어류의 우점현상을 나타냈다. Bray-Curtis Cluster 분석을 실시한 결과 어류는 4개(A=St. 1, 6, B=St. 2, 3, 7, 8, C=St. 4, 9, 10, D=St. 5)의 그룹으로 구분되었다. Cluster 구분에 따른 지점별 평균 염도는 A=0.2 psu, B=14.2 psu, C=19.5 psu, D=23.5 psu로 차이를 보였으며, 그룹별 1차 담수어, 주연어, 해산어의 비율이 차이가 나타나 4개 그룹의 어류 분포는 염도에 따라 종의 구성이 달라지는 것을 확인할 수 있었다.

수생태계에서 외래종의 문제는 국내뿐만 아니라 국제적으로도 많은 문제를 야기하고 있다. 배스의 경우 높은 포식압으로 수생태계 내에서 상당한 교란 요인으로 작용하고 있으며, 환경부에서 위해종으로 선정되어 관리 받고 있다. 본 연구에서는 위해종인 배스가 국내토착종인 붕어의 개체군에 미치는 영향을 파악하였다. 조사는 총 7지역의 저수지에서 시행하였으며, 배스의 유무에 따라 붕어의 길이분포와 길이무게 상관관계를 분석하였다. 연구결과 배스가 서식하는 지역의 붕어 개체군은 1년생 이하 치어의 비율이 전반적으로 높지 않았고 오히려 2년생 이상의 큰 개체의 비율이 높게 나타났다. 반면 배스가 서식하지 않는 호소의 붕어 개체군은 1년생 이하의 비율이 높게 나타나 일반적인 성장 패턴을 보였다. 또한 배스의 직접적인 먹이가 되는 1년생 이하의(160 mm 이하) 붕어개체를 대상으로 길이-무게 상관관계 분석 결과 배스가 서식하지 않는 호소에서 매개변수 b값이 2.909, 배스가 서식하는 호소에서는 매개변수 b값이 3.100로 나타나 배스가 존재하는 환경에서 붕어의 무게가 상대적으로 더 빠르게 증가하는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 따라서 배스의 포식에 직접적으로 영향을 받는 호소내 개체군이 생존을 위해 상대적으로 빠른 성장 전략을 사용한 것으로 사료되었으며, 이와 같은 현상은 붕어뿐만 아니라 국내 토착하는 다른종에서도 유사하게 확인될 것으로 판단된다.