The United States enforces the seafood import regulations so-called the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), and by 2023, all exports of aquatic products and processed fish products by fisheries which have not obtained an “Comparability Finding” from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will be completely banned. Therefore, to respond to the US MMPA, it is critical to identify technologies and methods used in worldwide for reducing bycatch of marine mammals. In particular, marine mammals are frequently caught in five fisheries (trawl, gill net, trap, stow net and set net) in Korea, which is facing a great challenge. This study presented bycatch reduction methods by five fisheries, classified the methods by country, and suggested appropriate reduction methods which can be applied in Korea.

This paper is the result of a comparative analysis of crew members' workloads using the EMG and OWAS methods according to the fishing process before and after the improvement of the operating system of the experimental vessel, with the aim of improving operational efficiency and safety work of coastal improved stow net fishing vessels. The target crew members were three people with at least five years of experience on board the same fishing vessel as the experimental vessel. After improving the operating system, such as installing a power block crane and two capstans, change the location of the ball-roller, the time required for setting and hauling work decreased (p < .01), and the evaluation results by OWAS showed that the overall workload for setting and hauling net work decreased. The results of muscle activity analysis showed a decrease in lashing anchor work (p < .01) in the case of hauling net and in anchor dropping work in the case of setting net (p < .001). It is judged that the use of ball rollers in net handling has been reduced; consequently, work safety has been improved.

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.

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.

This study was conducted to determine whether the layout of wheelhouse and work environment of coastal improved stow net fishing boats affect the physical abnormalities of wheelhouse workers through a survey and to use it as basic data to improve the wheelhouse work environment. The analysis results are as follows. The result of factor analysis on the wheelhouse work environment was classified into three factors: suitability of work environment, suitability of work space arrangement, and layout of navigational and fishing equipment. The result of factor analysis on physical abnormalities was divided into two factors: physical pain and fatigue. The results of regression model analysis showing factors affecting physical pain showed that the t-value in the regression model was 3.625 (p < 0.05), indicating that the work environment suitability had an effect on the physical pain. Work environment suitability had a significantly positive effect on the physical pain. As work environment suitability increased by 1, the physical pain increased by 0.371 (p < 0.05). The results of regression model analysis showing the influencing factors on fatigue were found to have a t-value of 3.009 (p < 0.05) in the regression model, indicating that the work environment suitability had a significantly positive effect on the feeling of fatigue. It was found that fatigue increased by 0.324 (p < 0.05) as the work environment suitability increased by 1. In addition, the manageability of task suitability was found to be t = –2.521 (p > 0.05). As the manageability of task suitability increased, the skipper’s fatigue level decreased. From these results, it is inferred that the wheelhouse of the current coastal improved stow net fishing boats causes physical pain and fatigue for the skippers. In order to reduce such physical pain and fatigue, and to improve safe fishing operation and job satisfaction, it is necessary to provide a wheelhouse to fishermen on coastal improved stow net fishing boats in consideration of the characteristics of the wheelhouse work of fishing boats and in consideration of users.

In order to collect basic data for the improvement of fishing systems in coastal improved stow net fishery, a questionnaire survey and on-site hearing were conducted from May 10 to June 11, 2019 on the basic items of coastal improved stow net fishery and safety accidents that occurred during fishing operation. The questionnaire for the survey on the actual conditions of coastal improved stow net fishery consisted of a survey on basic matters (six questions) and a questionnaire (six questions) on safety accidents occurring during fishing operation. The results of the survey on basic items were analyzed by region (Incheon, Seocheon, Gunsan and Mokpo), by the captain’s age (less than 50 years of age, 50 to 60 years and more than 60 years of age), by the captain’s career (less than 20 years, 20 to 30 years, 30 to 40 years and more than 40 years) and by the age of fishing vessel (less than 10 years, 10 to 20 years and more than 20 years). According to the survey on basic items of coastal improved stow net fishery such as the captain’s age, the captain’s career, the age of fishing vessel, the fishing nets in use, the crews on board and the operation days per voyage by region, the average captain’s age was 55.7 years, the average captain’s career was 20.5 years, the average age of fishing vessels was 9.0 years, the average numbers of nets used by fishing boats was 14.0 sets, the average numbers of crew on board a fishing boat was 4.4 persons and the average numbers of operation days per voyage was 4.9 days (p < 0.05). As a result of the survey on safety factors during fishing operations, such as experience of ship accidents, major causes of ship accidents experienced, causes of ship accidents (first priority), experience of human accidents, major causes of human accidents, and causes of human accidents (first priority), more than 96% of the respondents experienced ship accidents including collisions with other vessels or fishing gear during fishing operations. The most significant cause of the accident was the other’s fishing gear installed in the fishing grounds. The first possible causes of ship accidents during fishing operations were found to be other fishing gear installed in fishing grounds, steering or engine failure, and inability to avoid accidents during casting and hauling nets. The survey of the experience of human accidents, such as injuries or sea falls, showed that more than 90% of the respondents experienced human accidents during fishing operations. The most important cause of accidents experienced during fishing operations was stucked in a fishing gear during casting and hauling nets. The first important causes of accidents during fishing operations were movement of the fishing gear during casting and hauling nets, damage of the fishing gear such as rope cutting. The results are expected to be provided as a basic data to prevent safety accidents occurring during fishing operation and improve the fishing system in the coastal improved stow net fishery.

This study aimed to analyze the economic feasibility of the reduction of working safety accidents in stow net fishery through the prevention education to fishing crews. The benefit was evaluated by estimating insurance payment amount that was reduced through prevention education. The decreasing rate of working safety accidents was presumed to follow the experience in Japan. The cost was assumed as the cost of textbook development. Results indicated that IRR was estimated to be 79.9% in case of scenario assuming no additional operating costs while IRR was 56.3% in case of scenario assuming 10% additional operating costs. In addition, the economic feasibility would be secured when annual operating costs increased to 274 million won according to the result of sensitivity analysis.