• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.26-31
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• 2008

The feeding habits of chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) were studied based on an examination of the stomach contents of 512 specimens collected between November 2005 and October 2006 in the South Sea of Korea. The specimens ranged in fork length (FL) from 23.4-37.5 cm. Chub mackerel is a piscivore and consumes mainly Teleosts such as Engraulis japonicus. Its diet also includes amphipods, crabs, Euphausia, chaetognaths and shrimp. Smaller individuals (<26 cm FL) consume mainly crabs. The proportion of these prey items decreases with increasing fish size, and this decrease paralleles the increased consumption of fish. The prey size increases with S. japonicus size.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.121-129
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• 2016

The distribution of eggs and larvae of mackerel, Scomber japonicus was examined in the coast of Jeju island, Korea in spring from April to May in 2013 and May to June in 2014. In the monthly variations of mean abundances, as a whole, mackerel eggs were observed abundantly in April, 2013, and mackerel larvae were observed abundantly in June, 2014. Especially, high densities over $5,000ind./1,000m^3$ of mean eggs abundances were observed in the eastern part of Jeju Island where is water temperature was over $18^{\circ}C$. It can be inferred that these areas were major spawning grounds of mackerel around Jeju island, and that it may be caused by influences of the Tsushima warm current.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.98-104
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• 2005

Integumentary structures of the chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) were examined by light and transmission electron microscopy. The integument of the fish was composed of epidermal and dermal layers. The epidermal thickness is about $20{\mu}m$ in TL 35~40 cm fish. The epidermal layer could be classified into superficial, intermediate, and basal layers by morphology and position of the supporting cells. The epidermal layer also possessed mucous cells, club cells and chloride cells. The area of secretory cells, including mucous and club cells, is about 23% of the epidermal layer. The mucous materials were identified as sulfated glycoprotein, neutral and acid in nature. Club cells had a large central vacuole and rough endoplasmic reticula in the cytoplasm. Chloride cells had numerous tubular mitochondria in the cytoplasm. The dermal layer consists mainly of collagenous fiber, and it contains fibrocytes, pigment cells and cycloid scales.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.108-117
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• 2011

In order to offer data about fisheries resources management and prediction of catch on large purse seine fisheries, the fluctuation of the fisheries condition and distributions of fishing ground for mackerel were analysed with monthly catch data for 1990.2009. The overall catch has decreased to about 70% since 1997, with approximately 70% of the mackerel (Scomber japonicus) catch and monthly fluctuations showing a similar pattern. Monthly distribution of fishing ground is like distribution of mackerel in large purse seine fishery. The main fishing grounds are near Jeju Island and the Yellow sea with the main fishing season existing between October to December. The catches fluctuations and distribution of fishing ground were related to the effect of regime shifts. Therefore, in order to prediction of catch on large purse seine fisheries should be studied these relationships.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.67-72
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• 2022

We investigated the changes in the egg diameter of chub mackerel Scomber japonicus with the stages of egg development (and distinguished between hydrated oocyte and non-hydrated oocyte) for 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15 and 30 days. The chub mackerel oocytes were preserved in seven fixing solutions (70% ethyl alcohol, 99.9% ethyl alcohol, 5% formalin, 10% formalin, 5% neutral buffered formalin, 10% neutral buffered formalin and Gilson's solution). At 30 days, the chub mackerel hydrated oocytes preserved in 70% ethyl alcohol and 99.9% ethyl alcohol had shrunk by 5.2% and 7.9%, respectively. Similarly, the non-hydrated oocytes in the same solutions shrunk by 10.3% and 14.0%, respectively. Oocytes preserved in Gilson's solution had an average egg diameter decrease in both the hydrated oocyte (by 16.9%) and non-hydrated oocytes (by 15.6%). The diameter of the preserved hydrated oocytes did not significantly differ between the 5% formalin, 10% formalin, 5% neutral buffered formalin and 10% neutral buffered formalin, with shrinkage percentages of 0.6%, 0.1%, 1.9% and 3.4%, respectively (P>0.05). Similarly, the shrinkage percentages of the non-hydrated oocytes were 4.3% (5% formalin), 5.5% (10% formalin), 4.3% (5% neutral buffered formalin), and 4.1% (10% neutral buffered formalin).

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.73-79
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• 2021

The feeding habits of Chub mackerel Scomber japonicus were investigated using 329 specimens collected from coastal waters of the South Sea of Korea. S. japonicus is mainly a piscivore, consuming small fish such as Engraulis japonicus (%RI: 81.0 %). The diet of Chub mackerel also includes small quantities of thaliaceans, euphausiids, and amphipods. We calculated the trophic level as 3.92 for S. japonicus. The dietary composition of S. japonicus did not show significant differences with size, but differed with season. As the body size of S. japonicus increased, the mean weight of prey within the stomach (mW/ST) increased (One-way ANOVA, P<0.05).

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.590-594
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• 2018

We developed a time-temperature indicator (TTI) that rapidly determines whether frozen mackerel Scomber japonicus has thawed during its distribution. Our TTI was made from filter paper capable of absorbing mackerel exudate that was soaked in a 20% citric acid solution at pH 4.0 and then dried. The dried absorbent paper was cut and attached to blue litmus paper with a 2 mm overhang. The fixed litmus paper was covered with a polypropylene film and sealed. The indicator was placed inside a polyvinyl vacuum package containing the mackerel sample. The vacuum-sealed packaged was frozen at $-20^{\circ}C$ for 24 h. After freezing, the color change and time dependence of the indicator were observed at room temperature ($25^{\circ}C$) and demonstrated the utility of this TTI for rapidly determining whether frozen mackerel underwent thawing during distribution.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.957-965
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• 2013

This study simulated the egg vertical distribution of mackerel Scomber japonicus in Korean waters using general numerical models. All eggs were spawned naturally by raising broodfishes (May-June 2013), and the egg specific gravity was measured by a density-gradient column. CTD surveys provided environmental data (e.g., temperature and salinity) in May near Jeju Island, Korea. The egg specific gravity during the early stages ranged from 1.0203-1.0211. In general, the fertilized eggs showed a gradual decline in egg specific gravity until full development of the main organs, with a sudden increase just before hatching. Modeled egg vertical distributions were influenced more by wind speed than by egg buoyancy and vertical structure of the sea water. During calm and normal wind speeds, the eggs were distributed from the surface to 25-m depths. Under strong wind conditions (three times higher than the normal speed), the egg concentration on the surface decreased, and the egg distributional depth was deeper (~50 m).

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.9-18
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• 2020

We investigated the maturity and spawning dynamics of chub mackerel Scomber japonicus in Korean waters using samples collected by a large purse seine fishery from January 2013 to December 2017. We analyzed sex ratio, monthly maturity stage, gonadosomatic index (GSI), Fulton's condition factor (K), and fork length at 50% group maturity. Spawning occurred from March to June, with a peak in May. We detected a significant difference in sex ratio (χ² test, P<0.05). The relationship between fork length and body weight was expressed as BW=0.0025FL^3.4693. We estimated 50% group maturity at a female fork length of 29.3 cm.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.730-733
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• 2012

We investigated body shrinkage, defined as change in standard length and body weight of juvenile chub mackerel Scomber japonicus after preservation in 70% ethyl alcohol for 1, 8, or 12 days. Standard length (SL) was decreased by 3.6% and body weight (BW) was reduced by 27.5% after 8 day of preservation. There were no significant decreases in SL and BW after 8 or 12 days preservation. Linear regression equations for estimation of original body size from the size after preservation in 70% ethyl alcohol for 12 days were expressed as: $SL_{original}=0.96SL_{preserved}+5.17$ and $BW_{original}=1.16BW_{preserved}+0.37$. These equations will be useful for improving accuracy the estimation accuracy for various size-related biological parameters in juvenile chub mackerel juvenile.