In order to collect basic data for the improvement of fishing systems in coastal improved stow net fishery, a questionnaire survey and on-site hearing were conducted from May 10 to June 11, 2019 on the basic items of coastal improved stow net fishery and safety accidents that occurred during fishing operation. The questionnaire for the survey on the actual conditions of coastal improved stow net fishery consisted of a survey on basic matters (six questions) and a questionnaire (six questions) on safety accidents occurring during fishing operation. The results of the survey on basic items were analyzed by region (Incheon, Seocheon, Gunsan and Mokpo), by the captain’s age (less than 50 years of age, 50 to 60 years and more than 60 years of age), by the captain’s career (less than 20 years, 20 to 30 years, 30 to 40 years and more than 40 years) and by the age of fishing vessel (less than 10 years, 10 to 20 years and more than 20 years). According to the survey on basic items of coastal improved stow net fishery such as the captain’s age, the captain’s career, the age of fishing vessel, the fishing nets in use, the crews on board and the operation days per voyage by region, the average captain’s age was 55.7 years, the average captain’s career was 20.5 years, the average age of fishing vessels was 9.0 years, the average numbers of nets used by fishing boats was 14.0 sets, the average numbers of crew on board a fishing boat was 4.4 persons and the average numbers of operation days per voyage was 4.9 days (p < 0.05). As a result of the survey on safety factors during fishing operations, such as experience of ship accidents, major causes of ship accidents experienced, causes of ship accidents (first priority), experience of human accidents, major causes of human accidents, and causes of human accidents (first priority), more than 96% of the respondents experienced ship accidents including collisions with other vessels or fishing gear during fishing operations. The most significant cause of the accident was the other’s fishing gear installed in the fishing grounds. The first possible causes of ship accidents during fishing operations were found to be other fishing gear installed in fishing grounds, steering or engine failure, and inability to avoid accidents during casting and hauling nets. The survey of the experience of human accidents, such as injuries or sea falls, showed that more than 90% of the respondents experienced human accidents during fishing operations. The most important cause of accidents experienced during fishing operations was stucked in a fishing gear during casting and hauling nets. The first important causes of accidents during fishing operations were movement of the fishing gear during casting and hauling nets, damage of the fishing gear such as rope cutting. The results are expected to be provided as a basic data to prevent safety accidents occurring during fishing operation and improve the fishing system in the coastal improved stow net fishery.

To develop an effective and efficient measurement system for tracking changes of functional status across two measures, it is essential to integrate information and communicate scores across two measures. The lack of communication between two measures leads to score incompatibility. A potential solution would be the development of a crosswalk table between those measures. Prior to creating a crosswalk table, selecting common items between two measures is critical. By using the Oswestry low back pain disability questionnaire (Oswestry) and a short form measuring disability resulting from low back pain, item level statistics as well as differential item functioning (DIF) using the Rasch measurement were investigated. Eighty-two participants with known group validity were recruited. Based on the application of the Rasch measurement model, item difficulties across the two measures were logically and hierarchically ordered. Ceiling effects for both measures were detected, which were not be able to be effectively measured with the two measures. The DIF analysis across the two measures confirmed that five paired items were found to have DIF and five common items were selected for common items. Although five paired items function differently across the Oswestry and the short form, all items of both measures were well targeted study participants. The common items selected by the Rasch measurement model may be effective when creating a crosswalk table between the Oswestry and the short form.