The fluctuation in the abundance and species composition of fish was investigated using gape net in Dolsan District of Yeosu Korea from July 2015 to April 2016. A total of 1,331 fishes were sampled and classified into 30 orders, 42 families, and 53 species. The dominant orders are Perciformes including 21 famailies and 24 species, followed by Scorpaeniformes including 7 families and 13 species, and Clueiformes including 6 families and 6 species. Among the 53 fish species collected, Engraulis japonicus was the most frequent species occupying 43.5%, followed by Argyrosomus argentatus (23.8%), and Leiognathus nuchalis (22.4%). The monthly diversity, evenness, and richness index were 1.83-2.90, 0.76-0.95 and 3.06-6.40.

We examined monthly changes in the rate of fishes by-caught by gape net with wings and their immature ratio in thecoast of Yeosu and Jindo Island, Korea. A minus correlation between bycatch rate, the ratio of fishes except for anchovy, Engraulis japonicus, to all fishes collected by gape net with wings, and individuals of the collected anchovy was significantly observed, implying that as the anchovy catch decreased and the bycatch rate increased. Immature ratios by the dominant bycatch species during the study is the following; Leiognathus nuchalis was 72.7~99.0%, Sphyraena pinguis was 84.0%, Sardinella zunasi was 90.0%, others (Leptocephalus, Trichiurus lepturus, Ammodytes personatus, Sphyraena pinguis, Trachurus japonicas, Mugil cephalus and Erisphex pottii) were 100.0%. In order to decrease the high bycatch rates of immature fishes in spring and autumn, our study suggested increasing of codend mesh size and developing suitable bycatch reduction devices in a gape net with wings.

A model net experiment of the gape net for anchovy in Jindo, Jeollanam-do was carried out to investigate the net shape and hydrodynamic resistance using circulating water channel. The model net was made 1/33 down scale by Tauti’s similarity method and the range of experimental current speed was from 0.5 knot to 3.5 knot (increasing 0.5 knot interval). The net mouth height in 0.5 knot of the minimum experiment current speed was shown 26.0 cm (full-scale conversion value 8.58 m). The net mouth height and mouth area in 1.5 knot of the same current speed with a gape net fishing ground were shown 20.0 cm (full-scale conversion value : 6.60 m) and about 507.9 cm2 (full-scale conversion value : 55.31 m2). The net mouth height and area were decreased with increase the experimental current speed. The hydrodynamic resistance of the model net in 1.5 knot current speed was shown 1.11 kgf and the value of full-scale conversion by Tauti’s method was shown 3.996 ton.

This study was carried out to compare the regional fishing gears and catches of the gape net with wings used in Jeonnam, Korea. The total length of the gear used in Yeosu, Wando and Jindo was 107.0m, 64.0m, 52.8m, and the size of codend was 4.3mm. 7.8mm. 9.8mm, respectively. The total number of bycatch species from anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) catches in Yeosu, Wando, and Jindo during the survey period were 21, 13, and 13 species. A total of individuals of anchovy accounted for over 90% out of total catches in all survey areas. The proportion of anchovy individuals was constantly high up to October in Yeosu, but it showed a sharp reduction to 18% in October in Wando with the increase of the individuals of Kammal thryssa (Thryssa kammalensis) and Big eyed herring (Sardinella zunasi). In Jindo, individuals of anchovy occupied over 99.8% out of total catches up to August. Since August, the number of individuals of Big eyed herring (Sardinella zunasi), Kammal thryssa (Thryssa kammalensis), and Slimy (Leiognathus nuchalis) has increased while the number of anchovy individuals were decreased.

In this study, we conducted field surveys to investigate and analyze species and length composition of catch from gape net with wings being set in two areas - Masari, Supomri - located in southern part of Jin-do for understanding fishing characteristics of gape net with wings fishery from March to September of 2011. And with those results, we attempted to propose fishery management strategy to harvest fisheries resources continuously. Catch obtained from field surveys comprised total 78 species, which accounted for 53 species of fish, 20 species of crustacean, 4 species of cephalopod and one of polychaete. As to species composition in weight, it showed that there was 88.5% for pisces, 9.0% for cephalopoda and 2.5% for crustacea. As to catch specifics by area, there was 36 species (596,891 individual, 456,551g) of pisces, 17 species (35,815 individual, 12,909g) of crustacea and 3 species (2,876 individual, 3,004g) of cephalopoda in Masari area. In Supumri area, there was 41 species (396,898 individual, 281,457g) of pisces, 15 species (16,113 individual, 7,772g) of crustacea and 4 species (6,792 individual, 72,329g) of cephalopoda and one polychaeta (36 individual, 11g). Catch of anchovy by month recorded on high level on June, July, September in both areas. When considering size composition by month, it was found that new populations recruit to these fishing grounds on June and September. Most of bycatch species including hairtail (Trichiurus lepturus), dotted gizzard shad (Konosirus punctatus), conger eel (Leptocephalous), Pacific sandlance (Ammodytes personatus), horse mackerel (Trachurus japonicus) were juvenile, and grass puffer (Takifugu niphobles), Kammal thryssa (Thryssa kammalensis), Japanese sardinella (Sardinella zunasi) were also small in size. As a result, it is considered that gape net with wings fishery which is likely to catch juvenile needs to be set fishing prohibit period for conserving above stocks during the period excluding main fishing periods of anchovy or fisheries management such as expanding mesh size for preventing juvenile catch.

To analyze quantitative fluctuation in abundance and species composition in coastal waters of Dolsan, Yeosu, the fished were collected by gape net from March to November, 2000. The fish species caught by set net collected fishes were identified 63 species, 56 families, 42 orders, and the number of appearance and biomass was 2,230,297 individuals and 16,076.8kg. The most dominant orders were Perciformes, Clupeiformes and Tetraodontiformes which accounted for 71.4% of the total. The dominant species in number were Engraulis japonicus, Sardinops melanostictus, Trichiurus lepturus which accounted for 99.2% (2,211,642 individuals) of the total fishes collected. The dominant species in biomass were Engraulis japonicus which accounted for 79.7% (12,807g) of the total fishes collected. Temporal occurence of the dominant species such as the Engraulis japonicus, Sardinops melanostictus, Trichiurus japonicus, Ilisha elongata, Leiognathus nuchalis was closely correlated with water temperature, which is expressed as following regression equation, y=0.0864x-0.2311(r2＝0.3516). The species collected during the sampling yearly period were Engraulis japonicus, and migratory fish were Ilisha elongata, Trichiurus japonicus, Scomberomorus nipphnius, Scomber japonicus, Konosirus punctatus, Sphyraena pinguis, Pseudosciaena polyactis.