Physical characteristics of net filament were investigated to test the fishing capacity of gill nets due to the flexibility difference between nylon and biodegradable nets (PBS 95%+PBAT 5% and PBS 80%+PBAT 20%). In addition, a total of 16 fishing experiments were conducted in the coastal waters of Jeongja, Ulsan, from August 10 to October 20, 2011 and from September 11 to November 3, 2012. The test results showed that nylon net filament exhibited more flexibility than biodegradable net filament when they were wet. Accordingly, the longer submerged time, the more fishing capacity the nylon gill nets demonstrated in comparison with the biodegradable gill nets. A total of 16 species were caught in 2011 with the nylon gill nets (1,323 fishes, weighing 342,885g) and the biodegradable gill nets (958 fishes, weighing 236,857g). 15 species were caught in 2012 with the nylon gill nets (1,582 fishes, weighing 448,360g) and the biodegradable gill nets (1,431 fishes, weighing 406,590g). Thus catch weights and the number of fish caught produced by the nylon nets were 1.45 times and 1.38 times higher than those of the biodegradable nets produced in 2011, and 1.1 times and 1.11 times higher in 2012. A test on the target species, pointhead flounder (Cleisthenes pinetorum) has similar results. The flexibility of a net was proved to be related to the fishing capacity, and as a result, it is concluded that the higher flexibility, the higher fishing capacity.

This study was aimed not only to develop the gill net and trap made of biodegradable monofilaments in order to prevent a ghost fishing and to protect marine ecosystem, but also to analyze their spinning process and physical properties. Results showed that the spinning speed of biodegradable polybutylene succinate(PBS) monofilament was estimated to be approximately 100m/min when spinning temperature and cooling water temperature were adjusted at 180℃ and 3℃, respectively. The breaking loads of PBS monofilaments were estimated to be 35.3kg/mm2 at Φ0.2mm, 46.5kg/mm2 at Φ0.3mm, and 49.7kg/mm2 at Φ0.4mm in the dry condition, respectively. However, its breaking loads in the wet condition were reduced by 2.4-5.5%, compared to those in the dry condition. The knotted strength of PBS monofilament at Φ0.2mm was estimated to be 98.6% of PE in the dry condition. The breaking load of PBS monofilament at Φ0.3mm was evaluated to be 81.8% of PA, and its softness showed 3 times less than that of PA in the wet condition. The breaking load of PBS monofilament at Φ0.4mm was 95.3% of PA, and its softness showed 1.6 times less than that of PA in the wet state. However, the load elastic elongations of two kinds of monofilaments were estimated to be 1% higher than that of PA.