In this study, the selection action on the mesh in the net pot for whelk (Buccinum opisthoplectum) is experimentally considered, and the selectivity was compared by the SELECT model and the Nashimoto’s method with the probability model according to the contact shape of the mesh and the whelk. The experiments of the mesh size selectivity was conducted for two mesh sizes: 70 mm (inner stretched size 65.4 mm) and 44 mm (inner stretched size 39.5 mm). Selectivity experiments were conducted three times in total for each mesh size used 264 whelks. In addition, Nashimoto’s method analyzed the retention probability using probability model for whether the mesh passed or not based on the carapace width of the whelk. As a result of the selectivity analysis, the 50% selection carapace width for the mesh size of 70 mm was similar to 43.62 mm in the SELECT model and 42.64 mm in the Nashimoto's method. However, the 44 mm mesh with relatively small mesh size showed differences of 40.01 mm and 26.80 mm, respectively. As for the mesh size selectivity of whelk, it was found that the smaller the mesh size, the lower the selectivity. In addition, in the selectivity study on the mesh size of whelk, an evaluation method that closely considers the contact shape between the mesh and the target species is required.

Fishing pots are one of the important fishing gears in our coastal and offshore fisheries. In terms of a sustainable use of marine resources, there are concerns about the ghost fishing by lost pots. It is reported that 10 to 70% of the pots are abandoned or lost annually. This study is to compare the catching efficiency of drum type whelk pots that are made of biodegradable nets to those made of the ordinary nets, in the eastern coast of Korea. Five types of drum pots were used with combination of biodegradable nets and ordinary (PA, PE) nets applied to the main and funnel parts of the pots: pots with biodegradable nets (Bio+Bio); pots with PE net (PE+PE); pots with body and funnel made of biodegradable nets and PE nets respectively (Bio+PE); pots with body and funnel made of PE nets and PA nets respectively (PE+PA); pots with body and funnel made of PE nets and biodegradable net respectively (PE+Bio). Field experiments were conducted from June 18th, 2015 to August 7th, 2015 using a commercial fishing vessel in the Uljin waters on the eastern coast of Korea. Two fleets of pots with one hundred in each, 20 pots of each type, were casted for 8 to 15 days to analyze their catching efficiency. The catch of target species, whelks, was 202,563.0 g with catch rate of 38.7% of the total catch, while the bycatch was 320,709.7 g with the rate of 61.3% of the total catch. The catch of whelks was the highest in the Bio+PE pots (46,020.3 g), followed by the Bio+Bio pots (42,027.5 g), the PE+Bio pots (41,849.9 g) and the lowest being PE+PE pots (38,054.2 g). Compared to the conventional pots, the pots with biodegradable nets on the body or entrance part had slightly higher catch rate for both the target species and the bycatch. The PE+PE had the lowest catch rate. There is no significant difference in catch between the pots with biodegradable nets and the ordinary nets for the target species such as Buccinum opisthoplectum, Neptunea eulimata, Buccinum striatissimum. Consequently, using biodegradable nets for the conventional whelk pots can reduce ghost fishing by lost gears while keeping the performance of the pots.

Experiment was set up to analyze bycatch and discards situation including snow crap Chionoecetes opilio of whelk trap. Four types of trap were used: drum type trap with PE net; drum type trap with PBS net; cylinder type trap with PE net; and cylinder type net with PBS net. Three funnels were attached in drum type trap and two funnels were used in cylinder type trap. A fleet of traps was consisted with one hundred traps. 25 traps of each type were set on a line in repeated sequence. Field experiments were conducted with 6 fishing operations in the Uljin waters, East Sea in July 2014. Catch of target whelks were 173,261 g and catch rate was 48.7% of total catch, while bycatch were 182,571 g, 51.3% of tatal catch. The catch rate of bycatch was 2.6% higher than that of target catch. Bycatch weight of snow crap was the highest as 142,987 g and formed about 40.2% of total catch, followed giant octopus, Enteroctopus dofleini, 31,762 g (8.9%). Bycatch rate of cylinder type trap was 2.3 times higher than that of drum type trap. Discard rate (discard/(discard+landing)) was 43.6%. Discard rate was the highest at cylinder type trap with PBS net as 63.1%, followed cylinder type trap with PE net as 47.9%, drum type trap with PE net as 33.4%, the lowest at drum type trap with PBS net as 22.1%.

Fishing experiments were carried out in the adjacent sea of Yeongil Bay, the eastern cost of Korea from 2003 to 2004 using the dome-shaped pots with different five mesh sizes (17.1, 24.8, 35.3, 39.8, and 48.3mm) in order to determine the size selectivity of pots for the whelk, Buccinum opisthoplectum. The catch species were composed of Buccinum opisthoplectum (45.4%), Buccinum striatissimum (30.1%), Pandalopsis japonica (9.3%), Chionoecetes opilio (8.9%), and so on. The shell height (l) of Buccinum opisthoplectum caught in the experimental fishing pots was measured. The SELECT (Share Each Length's Catch Total) analysis method was applied with fishing data to obtain master selection curve. The model with the estimated split parameter was found to fit the catch data best. The master selection curve was estimated to be s (R)〓exp (7.833R-10.871)/[1 + exp (7.833R-10.871], where R is the ratio of shell height to mesh size. The relative shell length for 50% retention was 1.388, and the selection range was 0.281. It means that the pots of larger mesh size allow more whelks of small size to escape.