Abstract
Sea experiment for this study was carried out to develop a Trawl Escapement Net(TEN) using net material to improve the survival rate of undersized fishes that escaped from trawls in the Korean southern sea in May and November, 2005. Three kinds of Trawl Escapement Net(TEN) were examined to increase the escapement rate for fishes escaped from the TEN, and total catches in the codend and cover-net were investigated. The main catch species in the experimental fishing trials using a V shape TEN(A type) in May were Korean pomfret(Pampus echinogaster), slimy(Leiognathus nuchalis), gizzard shad(Konosirus punctatus), white croaker(Pennahia argentata) and smelt(Sillago sihama). In the experimental fishing trials using a V shape TEN with a protector for undersized fishes(B type) and a panel shape TEN with a protector(C type) in November, the main catch species were horse mackerel(Trachurus japonicus), sea pike (Sphyraena japonica), large-head hairtail(Trichiurus lepturus), kammal thryssa(Thryssa kammalensis), white croaker(Pennahia argentata), butterfish(Psenopsis anomala) and red gurnard(Lepidotrigla microptera). Most of large-sized fish species like Korean pomfret and Spanish mackerel could not escape through the TEN in the B type and C type. Catches of horse mackerel were highest in the experimental fishing of November and escapement rates for most fish species including horse mackerel were higher in the C type compared with B type.