Recently, Fishermen have required to expand the circumference of trap entrance for conger eel because it was difficult to take the catch out as well as to put the baits into. A series of fishing experiments was carried out in coastal areas of Tongyoung, Korea in 2008 and 2009 using the traps to describe the effect of the entrance size on the catch. The experimental traps (five types) were used in filed experiments with four types circumference size traps (140, 180, 220 and 260mm) with mesh size 22mm and another type was used the same one usually using in filed with mesh size 35mm (750mm circumference). The experiment results were, the conger eels of total length 35mm more or so were caught 85, 93, 142 and 176 individual by the experiment traps with mesh size 22mm as increase circumference size from 140mm to 260mm, respectively. And the small conger eels of the total length below 35mm to be prohibited to catch by law were caught 145, 160, 288 and 304 individual according to increase the circumference size of trap, respectively. In addition, in case of the trap with mesh size 22mm, bycatches were 230 - 260 individuals and much more than bycatches of the trap with mesh size 35mm. In conclusion, when we expand the circumference size of trap according to fishermen's requirement, we should review not only economic of fishery but also increasement the bycatch of non-target fishes and small size fishes.

Present study was conducted to improve the spring frame net trap for conger eel, Conger myriaster which prevents by-catch and protects immature fish. A series of comparative fishing experiment was carried out in water off the south-east coast of Korea from Nov. 2004 to Jul. 2005. And analyzed the amount of catch, by-catch rate, and CPUE, etc. of experimental traps which were the spring frame net traps, sorted four types of flappers. And the compared gear was a plastic conger eel pot. The conclusions were as follows. By-catch rates of spring frame net trap with the compressed flapper bound by nylon mono-filament was about 0-3%. CPUE of spring frame net trap with the compressed flapper was about 50-60% lower than that of traditional and plastic pot. And in case of conger eel that the total length is over 350mm, CPUE was little different on each type of flapper of every mesh size.