This study analyzes the comparative value chains of domestically caught coastal mackerel and Norwegian mackerel within the Korean market, across six stages: global supply and demand, domestic production and imports from Norway, distribution of raw mackerel, processing into semi-processed or final products, distribution of final products, and consumption. The research methodology combined qualitative and quantitative approaches, including in-depth interviews with 32 industry stakeholders (from fishing companies to government agencies) and an online survey of 400 Seoul consumers, utilizing conjoint analysis. Norway maintains market dominance through a demand-driven value chain, characterized by quality-focused production, efficient overseas processing networks in Southeast Asia and China, and aggressive marketing by the Norwegian Seafood Council. In contrast, Korea's coastal mackerel industry follows a supplier-driven value chain, facing challenges such as inconsistent quality due to year-round non-selective fishing, limited processing capabilities due to high labor costs and aging workforce, and lack of direct consumer marketing channels. The study identifies structural differences in the Korean market's value chain and suggests strategic improvements for the domestic mackerel industry while highlighting the need for a shift toward a more demand-oriented approach.

This study examines the price elasticity of demand for mackerel in the Busan Cooperative Fish Market, the largest wholesale fish market in South Korea. Using a two-stage least squares (2SLS) approach, the analysis addresses endogeneity in pricing by incorporating exogenous environmental variables, such as sea surface temperature (SST) and wind speed. The study estimates demand elasticity for three size categories of mackerel-large, medium, and small-and reveals significant differences across these categories. Large-size mackerel exhibits inelastic demand (-0.875), reflecting its status as a staple product with relatively stable consumer demand. Medium-size mackerel shows highly elastic demand (-2.450), likely due to its role as a substitute for both large and small mackerel. Small-size mackerel also demonstrates high elasticity (-3.444), attributed to its primary use in feed and processing, where demand is particularly sensitive to price changes. Diagnostic tests confirm the validity and relevance of the instrumental variables, with SST and wind speed strongly correlated with price but uncorrelated with consumer demand. These findings highlight the critical role of size-specific market characteristics in shaping price elasticity and provide valuable insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders to better manage mackerel supply and ensure pricing stability.

In September and October 2020, combined acoustic and trawl surveys were conducted in the northwestern sea of Jeju Island. In the survey area, a region, so called Jeju region, was designated to esimate the biomass of chub mackerel and jack mackerel using a trawl survey method and frequency difference method. In the September survey, the weight ratios of jack mackerel and chub mackerel to the total catch were 24.6% and 2.8%, respectively, and in the October survey, those ratios were 24.9% and 20.7%, which were used to calculate their biomass (trawl survey). Using the frequency difference range (–8 to –3dB) corresponding to two species in 120 and 200 kHz, their biomass was estimated (frequency difference method). As a result, the biomass of two species from the trawl method was 3252.3 tons in September and 5777.0 tons in October. The estimated biomass by the frequency difference method was 4926.6 tons in September and 7521.5 tons in October. It was the first trial to estimate the biomass of two species using the trawl and frequency differencing methods in South Korea although there were some differences between two methods. In addition, horizontal distributions of acoustic backscattering strength over the entire survey area were mapped.

In this study, Target strength for multi-frequency (38 kHz, 70 kHz, 120 kHz and 200 kHz) of chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) was estimated using by the KRM model. The body shape of the Chub mackerel was described by an X-ray system and the body length of 20 individuals ranged from 16 cm to 28 cm. The swimbladder tilt angle ranged between – 8 and – 14°, the maximum TS value according to the swimming angle of chub mackerel was – 33.0 dB at – 11°. The averaged TScm according to fork length was – 66.02 dB at 38 kHz, – 66.50 dB at 70 kHz, – 66.00 dB at 120 kHz and – 67.35 dB at 200kHz, respectively.

The purpose of this study is to compare short-term price predictive power among ARMA ARMAX and VAR forecasting models based on the MDM test using monthly consumer price data of frozen mackerel. This study also aims to help policymakers and economic actors make reasonable choices in the market on monthly consumer price of frozen mackerel. To analyze this study, the frozen wholesale prices and new consumer prices were used as variables while the price time series data were used from December 2013 to July 2021. Through the unit root test, it was confirmed that the time series variables employed in the models were stable while the level variables were used for analysis. As a result of conducting information standards and Granger causality tests, it was found that the wholesale prices and fresh consumer prices from the previous month have affected the frozen consumer prices. Then, the model with the highest predictive power was selected by RMSE, RMSPE, MAE, MAPE, and Theil’s inequality coefficient criteria where the predictive power was compared by the MDM test in order to examine which model is superior. As a result of the analysis, ARMAX(1,1) with the frozen wholesale, ARMAX(1,1) with the fresh consumer model and VAR model were selected. Through the five criteria and MDM tests, the VAR model was selected as the superior model in predicting the monthly consumer price of frozen mackerel.

Recently, the annual emission rate of CO2 that is the main reason for domestic greenhouse gases is the third highest globally, which means it is an extremely serious issue. It is considered that these greenhouse gases affect climate changes. Especially, the emissions of CO2 in the fishing industry are nearly 4.11 million tons each year, occupying 0.7 percent of domestic total emissions. Therefore, this study clearly analyzed fuel consumption of major fish species over the recent five years focusing on large purse seines. It was revealed that mackerels occupied 55.7 percent of total fish catches of large purse seines and 57.5percent of total fishing earnings. Also, fuel consumption was 236.62 liters per ton caught and 179.51liters per million won earned.

본 연구는 근해에서 잡은 고등어의 신선도유지효과를 확인하기 위해 해수 슬러리얼음(SS), 해수 큐브얼음(SC), 수돗물 슬러리얼음(TS), 수돗물 큐브얼음(TC)에 저장하며, 신선도분석을 시행하였다. 각 얼 음 성분 중 세균수는 음용수 기준 이하였고, 암모니아성 질소는 해수 기준치인 11 mg/L를 초과했다. 민물에 비해 바닷물의 탁도가 심했다. 고등어의 일반성분 분석결과 수분 함량이 72.7%, 단백질 20.5%, 지질 5.25%, 회분 함량이 1.3%로 나타났다. 해수 슬러리 얼음은 수돗물 얼음과 비교하여 pH가 낮게 유지되었다. 저장 초기에는 모든 저장소에서 VBN 증가가 억제되었다. 전반적으로 해수빙이 담수 얼음보다 휘발성 염기질소(VBN) 값이 낮게 유지 되었다.

This paper aims to find out the problems and improvement direction of quality control and hygiene management of fishery products in Korea. For this reason, we conducted a comparative analysis of quality control and hygiene management of fishing, landing and selling between Japan and Korea, taking mackerel as an example. Japan has established a systematic freshness management system from fishing to landing (production) areas and consumption areas. On the other hand, Korea is not fully lead-managed in the production area after fishing, and is distributed in a state where the quality of the product is deteriorated due to exposure to room temperature. Accordingly, a certain quality can not be secured at the final consumption stage, and sanitary problems occur. In order to improve the quality control and hygiene management of the fishery products, the following needs to be improved. First, we will improve the fishing level freshness management system. Second, we will improve the quality control and hygiene management of fish in the production area and wholesale stage. Third, we will promote the introduction of innovative sales and consignment sales systems at the production stage. Fourth, we will establish a consistent low temperature distribution system from the production area to the wholesale stage from a long-term perspective. Fifth, we will promote the development and education of manuals on fish quality and hygiene management.

The purpose of this study was to develop an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (indirect ELISA) based on a monoclonal antibody (MAb) that is specific to mackerel thermal stable-soluble protein (TSSP), that can be used for the rapid detection of mackerel in processed marine foods. Among the four MAbs (3A5-1, 2, 9, and 12) developed in previous studies, the 3A5-2 MAb that showed high specificity and sensitivity were selected and used to develop the indirect ELISA method. The detection range of the indirect ELISA was 0.02%-0.001% and the detection limit of 0.001% was shown. No cross-reaction to other marine products and food ingredients was observed by the indirect ELISA. Processed marine foods containing mackerel with ≥ 0.3 O.D. value at 405 nm were estimated as positive samples by the indirect ELISA. Therefore, the indirect ELISA can be used as a rapid and sensitive method to identify mackerel authenticity and adulteration in processed marine foods.

For people who have a food allergy the only way to manage the allergy is to avoid the food allergen. The mackerel is one of the major food allergens, but no immunoassay for the rapid and simple detection of mackerel has been reported. The objectives of this study are to develop and characterize monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific to mackerel using thermal stable-soluble proteins (TSSP) as an immunogen and to characterize the MAbs by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA). The mice immunized with mackerel TSSP and showing high titer were used for cell fusion and cloning. The characterization of MAbs produced from hybridoma cells obtained was confirmed by indirect ELISA and western blot. Four MAbs were confirmed to be specific to mackerel without crossreaction to other marine products and livestock products in the both methods. The iELISA and western blot based on the MAbs can sensitively detect 1% mackerel protein in other marine products. These results support that immunochemical methods based on the MAb produced could be used as rapid means to detect low levels of mackerel and to identify mackerel adulterated in food.

This study analyzed annual catch trend during 45 years and monthly catch of the least 10 years (2005∼2014) for chub mackerel caught in the Korean coastal waters. To determine fishing status of chub mackerel, fork length measurements were conducted at least twice every week for 100 individuals randomly selected at the Busan Cooperative Fish Market from January of 2012 to December of 2014; and biological characteristics and proximate composition (moisture, protein, fat, ash) were analyzed by length class (I∼IV) on a monthly basis from January to December of 2014. Monthly catch trend showed low level below 5,000 mt from February to July, whereas high level above 15,000 mt from October to December. For the period between 2012 and 2014, annual average catch proportion of juvenile were relatively high at 68.1%, 53.1% and 53.2% from January to April, before spawning season, while those were low at 21.5%, 20.7% and 29.12% from June to November. As for the change in the proximate composition per 100 g of muscle, protein and ash did not change much by seasons and length class, whereas fat and moisture contents showed large fluctuations and complementary relationship between the two factors. Regardless of length class, monthly average fat content, containing Omega-3, showed the lowest at 7.18 g in April and highest at 19.27 g in December, which exhibited 2.6 times difference from one another. Regardless of fishing seasons, fat content by length class were 19.06 g for the class I and 6.43 g for the class IV, which showed three times difference. Fat contents of the class I were high at 26.97 g and 27.19 g in November and December, while low at 8.37 g and 9.99 g in April and May. Especially, fat contents from January to May were 5.0 g, which was the lowest. Therefore, it is expected that consumer could indirectly contribute fisheries management through their understanding and wise consumption based on fishing status and fluctuation of proximate composition.

The distribution of eggs and larvae of mackerel, Scomber japonicus was examined in the coast of Jeju island, Korea in spring from April to May in 2013 and May to June in 2014. In the monthly variations of mean abundances, as a whole, mackerel eggs were observed abundantly in April, 2013, and mackerel larvae were observed abundantly in June, 2014. Especially, high densities over 5,000 ind./1,000 m3 of mean eggs abundances were observed in the eastern part of Jeju Island where is water temperature was over 18℃. It can be inferred that these areas were major spawning grounds of mackerel around Jeju island, and that it may be caused by influences of the Tsushima warm current.

This study presents a comparative analysis on mackerel distribution process and price formation process, and investigation of price and margin between traditional markets and Large-scale discount store distribution channel. Through this, the study investigated distribution efficiency of each channel, and examined whether a difference of distribution efficiency leads to a difference of performance through the investigation of a difference of function and role between members of a wholesale market and vendor of Large scale discount store. The following are the results of this study. As a consequence of investigating supply and sum by distribution channel of mackerel, it appeared that mackerels shipped from port market are distributed into 9 consumption sites(Wholesale market, Large scale discount store, Institutional Food Service, etc.). In the comparison of distribution efficiency between traditional retail store and Large scale discount store 52.0% margin is formed in traditional retail store distribution channel and 43.1% margin is formed in Large scale discount store, and a distribution cost rate consists of 19.4% cost in a traditional retail store for fishery products and 18.1% cost in a Large-scale discount store. To analyze a difference of performance, the study examine a difference of role and function between vendor and Wholesale market company, wholesaler and middleman.

This study was conducted to investigate the attractant substances of different solvent fractions of mackerel and tuna viscera. Mackerel and tuna viscera were extracted with methanol and the resultant were fractionated with n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water. The chemical compounds such as free amino acid, fatty acid, nucleotide related compounds contents were estimated for mackerel, tuna viscera and various fractions. These fractions were also subjected to attracting experiments in water tank to estimate attracting effects. The aqueous fractions of mackerel and tuna viscera showed the highest attraction effect on swimming crab. The major chemical compounds of the aqueous fractions were histidine, taurine, cysteine, glutamic acid, inosine monophosphate (IMP) and inosine (HxR) for mackerel and arginine, glutamic acid, aspartic aid, alanine, IMP and hypoxanthin (Hx). Results indicated that higher polarity compounds, such as amino acid and nucleotide related compounds have higher attraction activities than nonpolar substances such as neutral lipid.