• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.282-290
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• 1992

Based on surplus production models using fishery data for the last 20 years, a stock assessment was conducted for the small yellow croaker in Korean waters. The maximum sustainable yields (MSY) from the Schaefer and Fox models were estimated to be 37,000 metric tons (mt) and 33,450 mt. Zhang's model using time-series biomass with instantaneous coefficients of fishing mortality (F) and using time-series biomass and catch yielded MSY estimates of 45,328 mt and 40,160 mt, respectively. A yield-per-recruit analysis showed that the current yield per recruit of about 20g with F= 1.11 $yr^{-l}$, where the age at first capture $(t_c)$ is 0.604, was much lower than the maximum possible yield per recruit of 43g. Fixing $t_c$ at the current level and reducing fishing intensity (F) from 1.11 $yr^{-l}$ to 0.4 $yr^{-l}$ yielded only a small increase in predicted yield per recruit, from 20 to 25g. However, estimated yield per recruit increased to 43g by increasing $(t_c)$ from the current age (0.604) to age three with F fixed at the current level. This age at first capture corresponded to the optimal length which was obtained from the $F_{0.1}$ method. According to the analysis of stock recovery strategies employing the Zhang model, the optimum equilibrium biomass $(B^*_{MSY})$ which produces the maximum yield could be achieved after approximately five years at the lower fishing intensity (F=0.5).