Hydroacoustic Investigation of Demersal Fisheries Resources in the Southeastern Area of the Cheju Island , Korea - Acoustical Estimation of Fish Density and Distribution-

제주도 동남해역의 저서어업자원 조사연구 - 음향에 의한 어업생물의 분포밀도 추정 -

The distribution and abundance of fish in the Cheju southeastern area was studied by the combined hydroacoustic and bottom trawl surveys in April 1994 and in July 1995, respectively. The main purpose of these investigations was to provide the basic data for this management and the biomass estimation of commercially important demersal fish stocks in this area. The hydroacoustic surveys were performed by using a 50 kHz scientific echo sounder system with a microcomputer-based echo integrator. Acoustical measurements of fish abundance and distribution were conducted along the cruise tracks of research vessel and during all trawl hauls by continuous echo sounding. The average weight-normalized target strength for demersal fish aggregations was derived from the relationship between the mean volume backscattering strength for the depth strata of trawl hauls and the weight per cubic meter of trawl catches. The geographical distribution of fish stocks in the 1994 survey area was investigated in relation to oceanographic conditions. The results obtained can be summarized as follows: 1. From the 1994 and 1995 survey data, the relationship between the mean volume backscattering strength (, dB) for the depth strata of trawl hauls and the weight (W, kg/$m^3$) per cubic meter of trawl catches was expressed by the following equation = - 32.8+ lOlog(W) The average weighted-target strength value at 50 kHz derived from this equation was .. 32.8 dB/kg. 2. In 1994 and 1995, both surveys showed a trend of decreasing fish abundance toward the southern area of the Cheju Island with high densities offish along the west coast ofth.e Tsushima Island. The highest demersal concentrations in the southern area of the CheJu Island appeared in bottom waters colder than $12^{\circ}C.$. . 3. From the results of combined bottom trawl and hydroacoustic surveys, the estunated fish densities in the southeastern area of the Cheju Island were 1.5488 x $10^-4$kg/$m^3$ in the 1994 surveyand 1.9498 x $10^-4$kg/$m^3$ in the 1995 survey, respectively.