We conducted a seasonal field survey to analyze the distribution patterns of a phytoplankton community and biological oceanographic characteristics in the Geum river estuary in 2018. The results showed that the phytoplankton community consisted of 58 genera and 116 species, showing a relatively simple distribution. It was controlled by diatoms at 70.2%, a low number of species in winter and spring, and a high number in summer and autumn. The phytoplankton cell density ranged from 10.0 to 2,904.0 cells mL-1, with an average layer of 577.2 cells mL-1, which was low in autumn and high in winter. The seasonal succession of phytoplankton dominant species was mainly centric diatoms from winter to summer, including Thalassiosira nordenskioeldii, Cerataulina bergonii, and Skeletonema costatum-ls in winter, S. costatum-ls and C. bergonii in spring, and Eucampia zodiacus and Th. nordenskioeldii in summer. However, the autumn species depended upon the regions, with the inner bay dominated by the centric diatom, Aulacoseira cf. granulata, the mixed areas by S. costatum-ls, and the open sea by the dinoflagellate, Lingulodinium polyedra. According to principal component analysis (PCA), the phytoplankton community was greatly affected by the inflow and expansion of freshwater, including high nutrients, which are introduced annually through the rivermouth weir in Geum river estuary. However, the estuary, which is strongly affected by annual freshwater, was limited to areas near Geumran Island, which is adjacent to the river-mouth weir.

This study described the spatial distribution of dinoflagellate cyst assemblages in the Ulsan Coastal Waters (UCW). Surface sediment samples from 15 stations revealed the occurrence of 33 species involving the Groups Protoperidinioid (51.5%), Gonyaulacoid (30.4%), Calciodineloid (9.1%), Gymnodinioid (3.0%), Diplopsallid (3.0%) and Tuberculodinioid (3.0%). The recorded cyst abundance in the UCW recorded was low (260~1,680 cysts g-dry-1) compared to Korean coastal waters. The abundance of heterotrophic cysts is higher in the Ulsan harbour and northwestern parts of UCW with eutrophic areas, however autotrophic species are more prevalent in the southern parts with open sea environments. The dinoflagellate cyst assemblages in the UCW were characterized by the dominance of Gonyaulax scrippsae, Protoperidinium sp. (Brigantedinium sp.), and Gonyaulax spinifera complex. The advent of the toxic dinoflagellate, Pyrodinium bahamense var. bahamense was recorded for the first time in the East-south sea of Korea. Therefore, as a result of ongoing monitoring and management for new toxic dinoflegallates from tropical or subtropical regions, analysis of dinoflagellate cyst assemblages in the UCW has been deemed necessary.

This study described the spatial distributions of marine environmental factors such as water temperature, salinity, chlorophyll a concentration and turbidity, and characteristics of phytoplankton community such as species composition, standing crops and dominant species at 19 fishing ports around Jeju Island during the early summer of 2016. I analyzed bio-oceanographical characteristics using principal component analysis (PCA) of the environmental factors and biological parameters. Water temperature, salinity, chlorophyll a and turbidity ranged from 17.6 to 20.7℃, from 26.19 to 32.33 psu, from 0.76 to 7.13 μg L-1, and from 0.51 to 14.49 FTU, respectively. A total of 51 species of phytoplankton belonging to 35 genera were identified. In particular, diatoms and dinoflagellates accounted for more than 56.8% and 27.4% of all the species, respectively. Moreover, the number of phytoplankton species was controlled by salinity. Phytoplankton cell density ranged from 2.9 cells mL-1 to 185.9 cells mL-1. The dominant species were Navicula spp. Stephanopyxis turris, Eutreptiella gymnastica and Mesodinium rubrum. Environmental factors and the phytoplankton community varied greatly between sampling sites. According to PCA, the biological oceanographic characteristics of the around Jeju Island were characterized by meteorological factors such as air temperature, precipitation and discharge of ground water during early summer.

Fishing characteristics of Korean tuna purse seine fishery in the Pacific Ocean were investigated using logbook data compiled from captain onboard and the statistical data from 1980 to 2014. Changes in fishing ground and correlation between marine environmental factors and fishing patterns were investigated using Oceanographic index. The proportion of unassociated set was higher than that of associated set. The catch proportion of yellowfin was higher in the unassociated set, while that of skipjack and bigeye was higher in the associated set. Due to vessels, fishing gears and Korean captains’ high-level of skills in fishing technology optimized for the unassociated set and preference of large fishes, especially large yellowfin tuna, it showed unique fishing characteristics focusing on the unassociated set. As for fishing distributions of Korean tuna purse seine fishery and impacts of oceanographic conditions on the fishery, the main fishing ground was concentrated on the area of 5°N~10°S, 140°E~180° through the decades. When stronger El-nino occurred, the range of fishing ground tended to expand and main fishing ground moved to the eastern part of western and central Pacific Ocean. During this season, yellowfin tuna had high CPUE and catch proportion of yellowfin tuna in the eastern part also increased. As for the proportion of fishing effort by set type, proportion of log associated set was high during El-nino season while that of FAD associated set was high during La-nina season.