Recently, domestic fishing production of Japanese horse mackerel has been continuously decreasing. To achieve sustainable fishing of this species, it is essential to acquire its target strength (TS) for accurate biomass estimation and to study its ecological characteristics. To date, there has been no TS research using a broadband echosounder targeting Japanese horse mackerel. In this study, for the first time, we synchronized an underwater camera with a broadband frequency (nominal center frequency of 200 kHz, range: 160-260 kHz) to measure the TS according to the body size (16.8-35.5 cm) and swimming angle of the species. The relationship between Japanese horse mackerel length and body weight showed a general tendency for body weight to increase as length increased. The pattern of the frequency spectra (average values) by body length exhibited a similar trend regardless of body length, with no significant fluctuations in frequency observed. The lowest TS value was observed at 243 kHz while the highest TS values were recorded at 180 and 257.5 kHz. The frequency spectra for the swimming angles appeared to be flat at angles of –5, 0, 30, 60, 75, and 80° while detecting more general trends of frequency spectra for swimming angle proved challenging. The results of this study can serve as fundamental data for Japanese horse mackerel biomass estimation and ecological research.

In this study, we estimated the distribution density of giant jellyfish in coastal waters of Korea in 2023 and compared the occurrence of giant jellyfish over four years. In May, the giant jellyfish were mainly distributed in the waters of the Yangtze River outflow, and in July, they were highly distributed in the west of Jeju Island and near the south coast of Korea. In addition, when comparing the distribution densities of giant jellyfish in Korea over four years, both acoustic and sighting surveys showed that the highest density of jellyfish occurred in 2021.

In this study, we aimed to determine the seasonal distribution and biomass of fish in Samcheok marine ranching area (MRA) of Republic of Korea using the scientific echosounder. Fish trap and gillnets were used to identify fish species in the survey area, and dB-difference method was used to estimation the spatio-temporal distribution and density of fish. The results showed that the dominant species in Samcheok marine ranching area were Chelidonichthys spinosus, Sebastes inermis, Hexagrammos otakii and Tribolodon hakonensis. The spatio-temporal distribution of fish showed that fish had a relatively higher distribution at night than during the day. In addition, the density of fish by season was highest at night in July at 34.22 g/m 2 and lowest in April at 0.42 g/m 2 .

Acoustics are increasingly regarded as a remote-sensing tool that provides the basis for classifying and mapping ocean resources including seabed classification. It has long been understood that details about the character of the seabed (roughness, sediment type, grain-size distribution, porosity, and material density) are embedded in the acoustical echoes from the seabed. This study developed a sophisticated yet easy-to-use technique to discriminate seabed characteristics using a split beam echosounder. Acoustic survey was conducted in Tongyeong waters, South Korea in June 2018, and the verification of acoustic seabed classification was made by the Van Veen grab sampler. The acoustic scattering signals extracted the seabed hardness and roughness components as well as various seabed features. The seabed features were selected using the principal component analysis, and the seabed classification was performed by the K-means clustering. As a result, three seabed types such as sand, mud, and shell were discriminated. This preliminary study presented feasible application of a sounder to classify the seabed substrates. It can be further developed for characterizing marine habitats on a variety of spatial scales and studying the ecological characteristic of fishes near the habitats.

For scientific research, a number of acoustic surveys using commercial echosounders equipped in fishing vessels were conducted throughout the world; however, few studies were performed in South Korea. Hence, this research is an preliminary study for presenting the application of a sounder from a fishing vessel. The fishing operations using a pair trawler (7 Cheonghae) was conducted in the Northwest-Western sea of Jeju Island from 20 to 23 April, 2016. Substantial impulse noises and attenuated signals were eliminated by the latest algorithms. Acoustic signals were grouped into the fish aggregations and long layer-like signals. The fish aggregations appeared between 30 and 60 m, and long layer-like signals showed the diurnal vertical migration. Energetic, morphological and positional properties of the fish aggregations and layer-like signals were described. The fish aggregations appeared mainly between sunrise and sunset; however layer-like signals tended to be presented regardless of time in consideration of the time series analysis. On the basis of the consignment sales, Scomberomorus niphonius, the target species of F/V 7 Cheonghae, was the highest catch with 4,280 kg (74.6%) and might have appeared in fish aggregations and layer forms.

Commercial split beam echosounder (ES70) installed on a krill fishing vessel was calibrated in order to utilize it in estimating biomass of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba). The method of calibration was to analyze the difference between the bottom backscattering strength of the commercial split beam echosounder (i.e. ES70) and the scientific echosounder (i.e. EK60) at one of transects near South Shetland Islands designated by CCAMLR. 38 kHz and 120 kHz were used for the calibration, and krill swarm signal levels obtained from multi frequencies, was examined to verify the calibration result. The analysis result indicated possibility of calibration by bottom backscattering strength, since the proportion of krill swarm signals within 2 dB < SV 120 kHz-38 kHz < 12 dB (i.e. a common SV 120 kHz-38 kHz range of 38 kHz and 120 kHz to be an indicator of Antarctic krill) over the total acoustic signals were 26.95% and 92.04%, respectively before and after the calibration.