• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.12-23
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• 2021

As fish communities are sensitive to natural environmental changes as well as anthropogenic pressures, their composition and characteristics help us to assess the aquatic ecosystem health. The fish fauna and the length-weight relationship of Zacco platypus in the Seomjin River system were investigated from July 2018 to May 2019. The collected species during the survey period were 49 species belong to 14 families including 19 Korean endemic and two endangered species. According to Bray-Curtis similarities, 14 sites were divided into four groups based on the fish community composition; two groups(group A, B) and two uncategorized sites(group C, D). There were significant differences between groups A and B(analysis of similarities, R=0.722, p=0.002). A similarity percentage analysis revealed that Z. koreanus(8.55%), Micropterus salmoides(6.90%), and Lepomis macrochirus (4.90%) contributed to these differences of fish assemblages between group A and B. Group A showed higher relative abundances of exotic species such as M. salmoides and L. macrochirus, while Z. platypus and Z. koreanus which are the common species in Korea, were the most dominant species in group B. Based on the length-weight relationship of Z. platypus, b values were varied from 2.82 to 3.80, indicating that growth patterns of the species were spatially different. This study could be served as baseline data for understanding fish fauna, assessing habitat characteristics based on the fauna, and identifying health conditions of Z. platypus in the Seomjin River system.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.265-276
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• 2021

This study investigated the characteristics of fish communities and river health in the Sincheon stream of Imgin River between April and October 2019. The survey collected 3,677 objects in 30 species belonging to 12 families from 23 survey stations. The dominant and subdominant species were Zacco platypus (28.4%) and Oryzias sinensis (13.6%), respectively, followed by Z. koreanus (11.8%), Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (11.7%), Carassius auratus (9.6%), and Pseudorasbora parva (7.9%) in that order. Among the fish species collected, 10 (33.3%) were endemic species in Korea. The exotic species were 5 (16.7%), including Micropterus salmoides, Lepomis macrochirus, Cyprinus carpio (Israeli type), Poecilia reticulata, and Xiphophorus maculatus. The land-locked species included Cottus koreanus and Rhinogobius brunneus, while C. koreanus was a climate change-sensitive species. The dominance of the fish community was low, and the diversity was high in the Sincheon mainstream, Sudongcheon and Cheongdamcheon, whereas Dongducheon and Sangpaecheon showed higher dominance and low diversity. The river health was very good and good in the uppermost and Sudongcheon areas, whereas the upper stream was normal, and the middle and lower streams were poor and very poor, respectively. The water quality was also mostly poor or very poor from the midstream to the downstream, and only Sudongcheon was very good. Therefore, the water quality had a great impact on fish habitat and eventually affected river health significantly. Although the water quality of Shincheon has improved each year, the introduction of several foreign species had a very negative effect. Improvement of river health in Shincheon requires water quality improvement and management of exotic fish species.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.428-436
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• 2010

This study was to evaluate water quality characteristics and ecological health using a mulimetric fish model in Taehwa-River watershed during May~September 2009. The ecological health assessments were based on the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) using fish community and the multimetric model of Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI). For the study, the models of IBI and QHEI were modified as 8 and 11 metric attributes, respectively. We also analyzed spatial patterns of chemical water quality over the period of 2000~2009, using the water chemistry dataset, obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Korea. Values of BOD and COD averaged $1.7\;mg\;L^{-1}$ (scope: $0.1{\sim}31.8\;mg\;L^{-1}$) and $3.6\;mg\;L^{-1}$ (scope: $0.4{\sim}33\;mg\;L^{-1}$), respectively during the study. Total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) averaged $2.8\;mg\;L^{-1}$ and $96.8\;{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$, respectively, indicating an eutrophic-hypertrophic state. Also, TN and TP showed longitudinal increases toward the downriver reach. In the watershed, QHEI values varied from 67.5 (fair condition) to 164.5 (good condition) by the criteria of US EPA (1993). There was a abruptly decreasing tendency from T9 site in the QHEI values. According to 1st and 2nd surveys of Taewha River, multimetric model values of IBI was averaged 26.1 (n=14) with "good" condition (B) and the spatial variation was evident. Our results suggest that the mainstream sites was getting worse health condition along the river gradient due to inputs of the point and non-point sources from the urban (Ulsan city). Overall, dataset of IBI, QHEI, and water chemistry indicated that the ecological river health showed a downriver decline and the pattern was closely associated with habitat degradations and chemical pollutions as the waters pass through the urban region.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.634-649
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• 2020

Recently, stream longitudinal connectivity has been a topic of investigation due to the frequent disconnections and the impact of aquatic ecosystems caused by the construction of small and medium-sized weirs and various artificial structures (fishways) directly influencing the stream ecosystem health. In this study, the international and domestic research trends of the longitudinal connectivity in aquatic ecosystems were evaluated and the applicability of fish-based longitudinal connectivity models used in developed countries was analyzed. For these purposes, we analyzed the current status of research on longitudinal connectivity and structural problems, fish monitoring methodology, monitoring approaches, longitudinal disconnectivity of fish movement, and biodiversity. In addition, we analyzed the current status and some technical limitations of physical habitat suitability evaluation, ecology-based water flow, eco-hydrological modeling for fish habitat connectivity, and the s/w program development for agent-based model. Numerous references, data, and various reports were examined to identify worldwide longitudinal stream connectivity evaluation models in European and non-European countries. The international approaches to longitudinal connectivity evaluations were categorized into five phases including 1) an approach integrating fish community and artificial structure surveys (two types input variables), 2) field monitoring approaches, 3) a stream geomorphological approach, 4) an artificial structure-based DB analytical approach, and 5) other approaches. the overall evaluation of survey methodologies and applicability for longitudinal stream connectivity suggested that the ICE model (Information sur la Continuite Ecologique) and the ICF model (Index de Connectivitat Fluvial), widely used in European countries, were appropriate for the application of longitudinal connectivity evaluations in Korean streams.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.241-254
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• 2020

Three introduced fish species, Japanese white crucian carp (Carassius cuvieri Temminck and Schlegel, 1846), bass (Micropterus salmoides Lacepède, 1802) and bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque, 1819), are dominant fishes in Korean freshwater ecosystem. In this study, we analyzed habitat environment conditions of these three species and their impacts to fish communities in streams across South Korea. Fish community data were obtained from the database of the Stream/River Ecosystem Survey and Health Assessment program maintained by the Ministry of Environment and the National Institute of Environmental Research, Korea. Our results showed that species richness and Shannon diversity of fish were higher at the presence sites of introduced fish than at the absence sites. However, when the abundance of these introduced fish species was increased, the species richness and abundance of fish were decreased. An association analysis showed that the introduced fish species had a low similarity in their appearance with some indigenous fishes such as Siniperca scherzeri and Channa argus and some endemic fishes of Korea such as Zacco koreanus, Sarcocheilichthys variegatus wakiyae, and Acheilognathus yamatsutae. In addition, the introduced fish species had a low appearance similarity with a large number of fishes in their association networks. Finally, our results presented that these introduced fish species influenced the negative impacts to the stream fish communities, and they were potential risk factors for fish community in Korean freshwater ecosystem. Therefore, it is necessary that continuous monitoring and establishment of management strategy for introduced fish species to preserve fish resource and biodiversity in the Korean streams.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.310-321
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• 2014

Change in fish species composition after the Hebei Spirit oil spill in December 2007 off Taean were determined by analysis of samples collected in Mailpo beach, 10 km south from the oil spill site and polluted by the crude oil. Fish samples were collected by a beach seine in the shallow water at Malipo beach during the low tide of the new moon from February 2008 to December 2009. Five seine hauls were made during the day and the night in each sampling time. Monthly day and night samples did not show the significant differences in species composition. A total of 21 species, 1,032 individuals and 6,544 g of fish were collected in 2008, and 31 species, 4,206 individuals and 35,659 g of fish in 2009. The species collected were composed of the small-sized fish or juveniles. Abundant fishes were the resident species in coastal water, and the migrants were low in abundance. Among the fish occurred, Chelon haematochelius, Sebastes schlegelii, Takifugu niphobles and Pleuronectes yokohamae were predominated in abundance of both years. Monthly fish abundance and species diversity in 2008 were significantly lower than those in 2009. A few number of resident fish were collected from February to June 2008 showing the lowest in May 2008, and fish abundance increased from July 2008. The number of species and abundance of fish in 2009 were increased in spring as the temperature raised, showed a peak in summer and decreased in autumn. This monthly variation in fish species composition and abundance was similar to those in the non-polluted water in other temperate waters. Low fish abundance during several months after oil spill was considered to be related to the residual oil in the water and habitat disturbance due to oil cleaning activity in the beach. Monthly fish species compositions after September 2008 were similar to those of 2009 suggested that the impact on the shallow water fish by the oil residuals was not too significant at least to the fish species composition after September 2008.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.34 no.3 s.95
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• pp.153-165
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• 2001

We evaluated the health condition of Pyong-Chang river, the tributary of Han- River, using the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) and Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) during September 1999${\sim}$August 2000. The annual mean of IBI,　which was estimated using eleven metrics, was 49 (range: $45{\sim}51$) and the mean of QHEI, which was estimated using seven parameters, was 88 (range: $76{\sim}94$) during　the study. The river health, based on the IBI criteria of Karr (1981), ranged from "excellent" to "good" conditions, while based on the habitat criteria of Plafkin et al. (1989), it ranged from "pristine" (comparable to reference) to "supporting" conditions. Values of IBI showed slight differences between upstream and downstream sites and QHEI values varied weakly depending on characteristics of variables. Regression analyses showed that annual values of QHEI had no functional relations with stream order (p = 1.82; n = 8) but showed some decreases near slight point-sources. This result indicates that conditions of physical habitat did not change highly with increases of the stream order. According to analyses of feed guilds, relative abundance of insectivores, omnivores and carnivores was 85.1%, 3.5% 0.3%, respectively. Also, relative abundance of sensitive and tolerant species was 75% and 4.6%, respectively, while exotic and morphological anomalies were not found in the river. These outcomes indicate that health condition of fish, based on the trophic conditions of U.S. EPA (1993), was excellent in the river. Regression analyses of IBI values against the QHEI showed that the variation of habitat conditions accounted 57% for the variation of the Index of Biological Integrity (p<0.05; $R^2\;=\;0.57$; n = 7).Overall data of IBI and QHEI suggest that the river health in the present is in optimal conditions but may be degradated by acceleration of chemical inputs and physical-habitat disturbance.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.307-316
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• 2003

Fish assemblage structure in a sheltered shallow water in the Southern Coast of Korea was examined monthly. Sampling was conducted in Doam Bay using a beam trawl between March 2001 and February 2001. A total of 53 fish species from 33 families were caught. Pinkgray goby (Chaeturichthys hexanema), ponyfish (Leiognathus nuchalis) and yellowfin goby (Acanthogobius favimanus) were the most frequent species, comprised 67.4％ of the total numbers captured. Snailfish (Liparis tanakai), yellowfin goby (Acanthogobius flavimanus) and pinkgray goby (Chaeturichthys hexanema) represented 50.8％ of the total biomass. While total abundance (number of individuals) and biomass were high in autumn and winter, species richness (number of species) and diversity were high in spring. Cluster analysis, based on monthly abundance data of the 14 most frequent species, showed that the species were separated into three different groups. Group A composed of pinkgray goby, yellowfin goby, robust tonguefish (Cynoglossus robustus) and scaly hairfin anchovy (Setipinna taty), which were year-round residents, and devil flathead (Onigocia spinosa), Red dragonet (Repomucenus lunatus) and ponyfish, which were abundant in autumn, group B surmullet (Upeneus japonicus), hairtail (Trichiurus lepturus) and gaff-topsail goby (Cryptocentrus filifer), which were abundant in summer, and group C grassfish (Liparis tanakai), spotted velvefish (Erisphex pottii), chameleon goby (Tridentiger trigonocephalus) and Richardson dragonet (Repomucenus richardsonii), which were abundant in winter and spring. A seasonal homogeneity of fish assemblage indicates that overall fish assemblage in Dom Bay is largely controlled by year-round residents.

• The Journal of Fisheries Business Administration
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.67-88
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• 2007

This study is to estimate the factor weights for a successful sea-ranching project using the Analytical Hierarchy Process. Furthermore, it investigates the policy implications revealed by the differences in group opinions throughout fishermen, government officials, researchers and the scholars when the weights are assessed. The hierarchy is constructed for the 3 levels of factors which must be evaluated for a successful sea-ranching project. The top level of factors is divided by the ecological factors and the socioeconomic factors. As the middle level of factors, there are 3 factors such as the choice of fish, the habitat environment and the production technology under the ecological factors and another 3 factors such as the stability of fishery society, economic factors, and the law & system under the socio-economic factors. And then, at the bottom level of the hierarchy, the economic factors have two different sub-factors such as the fishing revenue and cost. The law & system has also 3 sub-factors such as the accessibility to sea-ranching area, fishing method, and surveillance. The fishermen and government officials show us quite opposite tendencies in assessments of the weights while both the researchers and scholars reveal almost the same opinions positioned at somewhere between first two groups. The study also reports the evaluations of efficiency measures for resource recovery methods among the sea-ranching project, artificial reef, release of fish seeds, and marine protection area. Both the sea-ranching project and marine protection area have the same efficiency in terms of resource recovery while the artificial reef and release of fish seeds are revealed as somewhat less efficient methods comparing to the former two methods.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.71-80
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• 2011

The fish fauna and characteristics of population of Zacco platypus in the 9 microhabitat at the Tan Stream was investigated from August, 2009 to April, 2010. The collected species during the survey period were 17 species belong to 7 families. Korea endemic species were Hemiculter eigenmanni and Odontobutis interrupta, which showed a ration of 11.8% in collected species. Dominant species was Z. platypus and subdominant species was Carassius auratus. Dominated species of C. auratus was at the dam-type pool, Meander-type pool, run, and rock-type pool, Pseudogobio esocinus was side channel, Rhinogobius brunneus was riffle, and Z. platypus was channel connected pool, substrate-type pool and channel unconnected pool. Length-weight relationship in the population of Z. platypus was 3.29. PCA analysis was in to the 3 groups identified. Bary-curtis cluster analysis indicated that the substrate-type pool and channel unconnected pool 65.9% showed the most similar, riffle, and dam-type 30.4% were identified as the most contrast.