• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.261-268
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• 2011

To clarify the annual reproductive cycle of the Korean perch, Coreoperca herzi, the seasonal changes in gonadosomatic index (GSI), hepatosomatic index (HSI), histological aspects of gonad and liver, and plasma levels of sex steroid hormones were investigated from June 1994 to April 1996. The annual variations of GSI and HSI were positively related to the plasma levels of sex steroid hormones. Estradiol-$17{\beta}$ (E2) and testosterone levels were raised during the April to May. Based on the related results, annual reproductive cycle of the fish could be divided into five successive stages; 1) Growing stage (from February to March: GSI was increased rapidly and oocytes with yolk vesicle was increased. Nucleus migrates toward the animal pole. Spermatids were activated from the epithelial tissue of lobuli). 2) Maturation and spawning stage (from April to June: Oocytes were accumulated yolk globules. Active spermatogenesis was observed). 3) Degeneration or stagnation phase (from July to August). 4) Recovery phase (from September to November) and 5) resting phase (from December to January). The main spawning period was in May.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.117-124
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• 2003

Reproductive cycle and sex ratio of the marsh clam Corbicula japonica, a oviparous clam, were investigated monthly by histological observation. Samples were collected in brackish water of Namdae stream on the east coast of Korea from November 2000 to October 2001. It was able to devide the reproductive cycle of this species into five successive stages; early active (April to June), late active (May to June), ripe (June to August), partially spawned (June to September), spent (September to January) and resting stage (February to April). The spawning period was from July to September, and the main spawning occurred between August and September when seawater temperatures reached above 26$^{\circ}C$. Mature eggs of Corbicula japonica were 60-70 ${\mu}m$ in diameter. The sex ratio of individuals over 10.1 mm in shell length was about 1:1 (x$^2$ = 1.22, p > 0.05).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.312-322
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• 2008

The age and growth of the sandfish, Arctoscopus japonicus were investigated from samples of the eastern sea danish seine and gill net fishery in the East Sea of Korea from February, 2004 to December, 2007. Ages were determined from annuli in otoliths and annuli were formed between December and February once a year. Also, the main spawning period was estimated to be between December and January, thus rings were considered to be annual marks. For the relationship between fork length and total weight, a multiplicative error structure was assumed because variability in growth increased as a function of the length. The relationship between fork length and total weight were $TW=0.0083FL^{3.01}(R^2=0.966)$ for female and $TW=0.0079FL^{3.04}(R^2=0.969)$ for male. The variability in growth was constant as a function of age, revealing an additive error structure. The von Bertalanffy growth parameters estimated by a non-linear method were $L_{\infty}=31.6cm$, K=0.266/year, $t_0=-0.835$ years for female and $L_{\infty}=27.7cm$, K=0.273/year, $t_0=-0.806$ years for male. Growth at age between male and female had a significant difference(P<0.001).

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.445-453
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• 2013

Walleye pollock Theragra chalcogramma fisheries in Korean waters have changed dramatically during the last three decades: the highest catches occurred in 1981, followed by continuous decreases through the 1990s, ending with a complete collapse of the population in the 2000s. The major spawning ground of walleye pollock is located in North Korean waters, and some juveniles (called nogari in Korean, <300 mm) migrate to the south for feeding and growth. Since the 1960s, Korean fishermen have often caught juveniles, and the weight (metric tons) of juvenile catch was recorded from 1975-1997. However, because the walleye pollock were not aged, the population age structure was not delineated. We developed a model to estimate the number of walleye pollock of each size class based on catch statistics of adults and juveniles, the catch proportion of each size class, and length and weight information on specimens collected by Danish-seine and drift-gill-net fisheries. The model results demonstrated that the recruitment size of walleye pollock was consistently within the 200-250mm size class, and the highest number of this size class occurred in 1981, although values greatly fluctuated interannually. The number of juvenile pollock was 10.4 times higher than that of adult pollock during 1975-1997. The total yield of juvenile pollock was 0.95 million tons, which was equivalent to about 68.2% of total pollock production. The number of juvenile pollock caught during the same period, however, was 16 billion, comprising about 91.2% of the total number caught. Such high fishing pressure on juvenile pollock is considered one of the main factors causing the collapse of the pollock population.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.121-130
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• 1998

Studies on the distribution and growth of the mud mussel, Musculista senhousia, were carried out in the mud-tidal flat near Mokpo from August 1996 to July 1997. The patch distribution of the mussel was observed in the middle part of the tidalflat during the study period. Annual mean density was 8,215${\pm}$1,394 ind./m2 and annual mean biomass was 1,966.43${\pm}$668.49 g TWwt/m2 in total wet weight, 760.04${\pm}$279.13 gMWwt/m2 in meat wet weight, 209.93 ${\pm}$ 49.41 gMDwt/m2 in meat dry weight, and 109.66${\pm}$58.78 gAFDW/m2 in ash-free dry weight. The monthly mean size of shell length varied from 11.00 mm to 16.97 mm. Relationship between shell length (SL) and shell height (SH) showed a positively significant regression (SH=0.482SL+0.791, R2=0.940, P<0.001). Regressions of total wet weight (TWwt) (TWwt=7.601${\times}$10-5SL3.052, R2=0.905, P<0.001), and meat wet weight (MWwt) (MWwt=1.127${\times}$10-5${\times}$SL3.404, R2=0.784, P<0.001) on shell length were positively allometric, with highly significant correlation coefficient. The relationships between SL and meat dry weight (MDwt), and AFDW were MDwt=9.813${\times}$10-6${\times}$SL2.928 (R2=0.421), and AFDW=1.015${\times}$10-5${\times}$SL2.922(R2=0.810), respectively. The condition factor of the mussel has been increased from March and formed a peak in July and August. It was sharply dropped in September. These results suggest that the gonadal development of the species commenced to be occurred in spring and that main spawning occurred between August and September.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.355-362
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• 2006

The age and growth of brown sole, Pleuronectes herzensteini were investigated from samples randomly collected in the East Sea of Korea from April, 2003 to March, 2004. Ages were determined from annuli in otoliths and annuli were formed between March and May once a year. Also, main spawning period were estimated between March and April, thus rings were considered as annual marks. The von Bertalanffy growth parameters estimated from a non-linear regression method were $L_{\infty}=37.2cm$, K=0.131/year, $t_0=-2.008years$ for female and $L_{\infty}=28.3cm$, K=0.177/year, $t_0=-2.135years$ for male, and the growth between female and male was different.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.80-86
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• 2017

We examined monthly variations in community structure of larval fish assemblage in the coastal waters of south-central Korea in spring and summer, 2016. A total of 31 taxa of larvae were collected during the study period. Engraulis japonicus larvae were predominated in spring than summer. The larvae of Cynoglossus abbreviates, a spring spawners, were exclusively collected in spring, while those of Nibea albiflora, a summer spawners, were exclusively caught in summer. Due to those seasonal differences in abundance of the dominant species, larval fish community was divided into two main seasonal groups (i.e. April~May and June~August). In addition, summer group was divided into two significant subgroups (June~July and August). During August, the larvae of E. japonicus and N. albiflora sharply decreased in abundance due to abnormally high sea water temperature that was raised up to $28^{\circ}C$, with the temperature being out of range of their optimum spawning temperature.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.140-149
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• 2010

We determined the seasonal gonad maturation in Strongylocentrotus nudus sea urchins inhabiting an artificially enhanced seaweed forest along the Samchuk Coast of Korea from April 2006 to March 2007. A total of 30 sea urchins per month were collected from the study area, and gonadosomatic index (GSI), gonad index (GI), egg diameter, and RNA/DNA variation were measured for each specimen. GSI values of female and male urchins achieved maximums of 17.6 and 17.0, respectively, in June. Based on histological studies, maximum GI values occurred in July (4.6 for females and 4.8 for males). A mean ovarian egg diameter of $73.7\;\pm\;14.2\;{\mu}m$ was measured in August; during the main spawning period in September, mean egg diameter reached a maximum of $74.2\;\pm\;17.8\;{\mu}m$. The RNA/DNA ratio and RNA content for both males and females showed a distinct peak during the ripe stage in July, but another peak occurred in the spring season from March to April, when urchins deposit protein into the nutritive phagocytes of immature gonads prior to gametogenesis. The reproductive cycle of S. nudus is divided into five stages: early active (December-May), late active (March-July), ripe (July-September), spent and degenerative (August-November), and inactive (October-February). Our continuous removal of sea urchins from the study area did not influence the reproductive cycle, as populations quickly recovered, and achieved normal gonad development cycle in the site.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.28-37
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• 2009

The diet of Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) in the East Sea, Yellow Sea and Jinhae Bay was studied by analysis of stomach contents. In total, 518 individuals ranging from 15.5 to 77.0 cm standard length SL were analyzed. Prey organisms of the Pacific cod in the East Sea consistedof Caridea, Cephalopoda and Pisces, whereas In the Yellow Sea, the main food items of Pacific cod were similar to those of East Sea Pacific cod except for Cephalopoda. Interestingly, the stomach contents of Pacific cod in Jinhae Bay is mainly Pisces, which is in contrast to those of the two different coastal areas, the East Sea and the Yellow Sea. Although various species of food were eaten by smaller Pacific cod, both Caridea and Pisces were mainly taken by larger Pacific cod. Consequently, the diet of Pacific cod within acertain size is mainly influenced by prey abundance and prey-size spectrum in its habitat. Higher stomach emptiness of Pacific cod in Jinhae Bay might indicate that fully matured Pacific cod temporally stop feeding during their spawning period.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.599-607
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• 1998

To clarify annual reproductive cycle of Korean dark sleeper, Odontobutis platycephala (Iwata et Jeon), we examined the seasonal changes of gonadosomatic index (GSI), the proportional frequency of oocyte development stages in the ovary and the changes of sex steroid hormone levels in blood from December 1995 to November 1997. In July and August, GSI was 0.35 to 0.72 and most oocytes in the ovary were chromatin-nucleolus stage and perinucleolar stage (proportional frequency: $87\%\~96\%$). In September, GSI was 1.20 $\pm$ 0.12, some oocytes in the ovary were yolk vesifle stage (proportional frequency: $22.8\%$) and vitellogenic stage which appeared very rarely(proportional frequency: $2.2\%$). GSI increased gradually from October and reached 4.59± 0.61 to December. During this period, oocytes of vitellogenic stage increased slightly (proportional frequency in December: $22.1\%$). In January, GSI was 4.32 $\pm$ 0.72 but the proportional frequency of oocytes in vitellogenic stage increased (proportional frequency: $51.2\%$). from February, GSI was increased sharply and reached to 10.51 $\pm$ 1.04 in March, the highest value throughout the year and the proportional frequency of oocytes in vitellogenic stage also reached the highest levels (proportional frequency: $60\%$). From April, GSI was gradually decreased and fell down to 1.11 $\pm$ 0.35 in June. During this period, the proportional frequency of mature oocytes was the highest in April (proportional frequency of mature oocyte stage: $40\%$ in April, $12\%$ May, $5\%$ June) throughout the year, and atretic ovarian follicles were appeared. The blood level of estradiol-17$\beta$ ($E_2$), which stimulates the hepatic synthesis and secretion of vitellogenin, was $0.84{\pm}0.20\;ng/m{\ell}$ in August, and thereafter was not changed until December. from January, it increased sharply and reached the highest level of $ 2.85{\pm}0.35\;ng/m{\ell}$ in March throughout the year, but fell to $0.14{\pm}0.02\;ng/m{\ell}$ in July(P<0.05), 17$\alpha$-hydroxprogesterone(17$\alpha$-OHP) was the peak $13.37{\pm}0.52ng/m{\ell}$ in March, but no significant changes in other period(below $3ng/m{\ell}$, P<0.05). 17$\alpha$, 20$\beta$-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one(17$\alpha$, 20$\beta$-P), which was known as the final maturation inducing hormone in teleost, was $0.74{\pm}0.09ng/m{\ell}$ in April and $0.54{\pm}0.07ng/m{\ell}$ in May, but no significant changes in other period (below $0.26\;ng/m{\ell}$, p<0.05). Taken together these results, the annual reproductive cycle of O. platycephala divided into 4 periods as follows: 1) ripe and spawning period from April to June, main spawning period was from April to May, 2) Resting period from July to August, 3) Growing period from September to December, 4) Maturing period from January to March. Moreover, It was showed that the changes of sex steroid hormone in blood played a important roles in the annual reproductive cycle of O. platycephala.