This study is aimed to analyze the economic feasibility of yellowtail culture using the copper alloy net cage in Gyeongsangbuk-do. First of all, in order to evaluate the copper alloy net cage on yellowtail culture, I review the trend on the yellowtail culture industry and research the concept of copper alloy net cage. The copper-alloy net cage is now recognized as an advantages of its system stability, recycling, antibiosis and food safety. The results were summarized as follows: first, there was significant meaning of the profit model of yellowtail culture by the price difference. Second, I analyzed in the economic feasibility of yellowtail culture using the copper alloy net cage, internal rate of return (IRR) was 51.58%, a benefit-cost ratio was shown to be 2.27 and net present value (NPV) was 1,087,337 thousand won, which indicates the economic feasibility of yellowtail culture using the copper alloy net cage is profitable. Finally, in order to improve the economic valuation, it is necessary to focus more on the developing of technology and cost reduction strategy on the copper alloy net cage.

Nowadays, consumption of fisheries products is increasing. There are several factors, one of which is a quantitative development through aquaculture. Another factor is an increase qualitative consumption of fish which require that fish be supplied alive. This requires a lot of technical effort to transport the live fish that have low survival rate (c.f. tuna and mackerel) in coastal waters and in the open sea. To develop a towing cage for transporting the live fish, model test in a circulate water channel and simulation by computer tool were carried out. In order to spread vertically, floats were attached at the upper part of the cage, and iron chains attached at the lower part of the cage. For horizontal spreading, kites were attached on the cage. The tension and spreading performance of the cage were measured. The result shows that the tension and reduction ratio of inside volume of the cage were tended to increase with increased towing speeds. The suitable operation condition in towing cage was 1.0 m/s towing speeds with vertical spreading force 8.7 kN, horizontal spreading force 5.6 kN; in this case the reduction ratio of inside volume of the cage was estimated as 25%.

This study aims to analyze the performance of a submersible fish cage which was designed for developing an economical cage system can be applied in korean aquaculture environment easily. To analyze the performance of the designed cage a model test was carried out. In the test, inclination changes of the upper frame and mooring tensions of model cage were measured during the submerging and surfacing motion in still water and wave condition (period: 2s, wave height: 0.1, 0.2, 0.3m). As a result, in the still water condition the model cage kept horizontal balance and inclination degree of the upper frame was about 1˚. In the wave condition, the model cage showed bilateral symmetric up-and-down motion but the average inclination degree of the upper frame was about 0˚. When the model cage reached at a depth of 1m, the up-and-down motion of the cage was decreased by 12% compared with that of at the surface (period 2s, height 0.3m). In the same wave condition, the maximum and average line tension under the bottom position were about 8% and 11% respectively compared with that of at surface.

Simulation technique for the fish behavior was applied to estimate fish school movement in the cage net. Individual-based fish behavior model (Huth and Wessel, 1991) was evaluated in a free area to understand the characteristics for the model, and the movement in the cage net was simulated by defining the fish reaction against the displacement of cage net. As a result, the distance to the net was not considerably changed and the space among fishes in cage net was slightly decreased by reducing the net space. Swimming area was, however, significantly affected by changing the net space and the relationship between swimming area and net displacement was theoretically estimated as y=-0.21x+1.02 (R2=0.96). these results leads the conclusion that individual-based model was appropriated to describe the fish school reaction in the cage net and be able to use for evaluating the influence on cultured fish.

A numerical model analysis was performed to analyze the motion and mooring tension response of submersible fish cage systems in irregular waves and currents. Two systems were examined: a submersible cage mooring with a single, high tension mooring and the same system, but with an additional three point mooring. Using a Morison equation type model, simulations of the systems were conducted with the cage at the surface and submerged. Irregular waves(JONSWAP spectrum) with and without a co-linear current with a magnitude of 0.5m/s were simulated into the model as input parameters. Surge, heave and pitch dynamic calculations were made, along with tension responses in the mooring lines. Results were analyzed in both the time and frequency domains and linear transfer functions were calculated.