• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• 제30권2호
• /
• pp.181-191
• /
• 2008

This study aims at assessment of spatio-temporal distribution of demersal fish aggregations near the west coast of Jeju Island using hydroacoustic survey. A 200 kHz split beam transducer attached to a small towed body was used for all acoustic investigations. The received acoustic data were in situ acoustic target strength (TS, dB) for all pings and nautical area scattering coefficient(NASC, $m^2/mile^2$) for 0.1 mile along 12 acoustic transects. Demersal fish aggregations are distributed around the coastal slope having 20 to 30 m depth throughout all seasons. The concentration is higher during the summer season. With regard spatial distribution, higher demersal fish aggregations have been detected near the West coast of Shinchang and especially near Chagwi-do. Pelagic fish aggregations were higher to the south of Chagwi-do during the spring season. Additionally, standing stock of demersal fish aggregations from the NASC data, TS function, and length-weight function of dominant species was estimated as follows: 3.2 ton (CV 21.8%) in December 2006, 17.9 ton (CV 21.6%) in April 2007, 30.8 ton (CV 17.8%) in June 2007, and 22.5 ton (CV 24.2%) in October 2007. The application of hydroacoustic methods offers a new approach to understanding spatiotemporal structure and estimate the biomass of demersal fish aggregations in the coastal area. And the results can be made up limitations of qualitative analysis through net and diving for fisheries resources survey in coastal area.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• 제30권1호
• /
• pp.79-87
• /
• 2008

Hydroacoustic technique was used to analyze spatiotemporal stability and distribution of demersal fish aggregations in the coastal region to overcome some limitations of the existing methods such as net and diving. The survey was carried out in the Baekeum Bay on the south coast of Korea in January 2007. The bottom depth in the study site ranges from 7 to 25 m. In order to outline aggregations of demersal fish initial scanning using 200 kHz split-beam transducer was randomly conducted over the large area. Having detected fish aggregation in the specific region, intensive acoustic survey of irregular star pattern was carried out along 14 transects across the area in question. The results of the acoustic survey show that all demersal fish aggregations are concentrated about 5 m from sea bottom having a slight slope and remain steady with no spatial or temporal variations during acoustic survey. The hydroacoustic method used in this study offers a new approach to understand vertical and horizontal distribution, spatiotemporal stability, and biomass estimate of demersal fish aggregations in coastal regions. Additionally, the number of individual fish estimated from in situ acoustic target strength data can be used to understand the standing stock of demersal fish aggregation.

• 수산해양기술연구
• /
• 제51권1호
• /
• pp.16-25
• /
• 2015

Visual census and hydro-acoustic survey was carried out at Ulju small scale marine ranching area (MRA) to estimate demersal fish aggregations on September and November 2013. In this hydro-acoustic survey, the authors combined an image sonar with a scientific echo sounder to monitor an underwater situation and compare two acoustic data. Consequently, visual census survey was useful to estimate fish species composition for hydro-acoustic survey, because it is easy to identify aggregated fish species and overcome limits on a fishing depth and ability of an conventional fishing gear like a bottom gill-net or a fish trap at marine ranching area. Mean fish density was estimated as $0.757g/m^2$ on September and $0.219g/m^2$ on November and Fish abundance was finally calculated as 1.51ton (coefficient of variation, CV=13.1%) on September and 0.44ton (CV=47.7%) on November, respectively. Hydro-acoustic survey combined with the image sonar was useful to monitor fish aggregations and estimate fish stocks around artificial reefs at shallow coastal MRA. We were able to easily identify the underwater structures like an artificial reef and a fishing rope as well as fish aggregations from image sonar data. Therefore, the method was effective to separate unwanted echo signals in acoustic data of scientific echo sounder.

• 수산해양기술연구
• /
• 제32권3호
• /
• pp.257-265
• /
• 1996

The combined hydroacoustic and bottom trawl surveys were conducted in the Cheju southeastern area by the training ship "KAYA" belong to Pukyong National University in July 1995 and the traning ship "NAGASAKI MARl]" belong to Nagasaki University in April 1994, respectively. The main purpose of the investigations was to provide the basic data for the management and the biomass estimation of commercially important demersal fish stocks in this area. Fish samples were collected by bottom trawling from 10 trawl stations randomly selected in the survey area, and the species and length compositions of trawl catches were examined. The fish school target strength for demersal fish aggregations was related to the catchability of trawl net with a 90 mm mesh codend. The most abundant species in the 1995 trawl stations were Japanese flying squid, sword tip squid and red horsehead and that of the 1994 trawl stations Japanese flying squid and blackmouth goosefish. The average weight per cubic meter of trawl catches collected by bottom trawling in the Cheju southeastern area were $1.0791{\times}lO^-4$kg/$m^3$ in the 1994 survey area and $1.3636{\times}lO^-4$kg/$m^3$ in the 1995 survey area, respectively. The catch data by cover net suggest that the efficiency of trawl net could affect the weight normalized target strength values for demersal fish aggregations. That is, the average target strength per unit of weight dropped from - 33.1 dB/kg using the total catch by codend and cover net to - 30.5 dB/kg using only the catch data by codend, and a change of2.6 dB/kg was observed.ange of2.6 dB/kg was observed.

• 한국수산과학회지
• /
• 제48권6호
• /
• pp.960-968
• /
• 2015

This study examined the spatiotemporal distribution of demersal fish aggregations in the Northern East China Sea by conducting a trawl survey with hydroacoustic devices. A bottom trawl was used for this survey and fish density was determined from the catch data. Acoustic data were collected at frequencies of 38 and 200 kHz from November to December 2014 and converted into the nautical area scattering coefficient (NASC, $m^2/n{\cdot}mile^2$). In the catch data analysis, the range of catch per unit area by station was $26-8,055kg/km^2$ and for the acoustic data, that of the NASC was $0.45-34.80m^2/n{\cdot}mile^2$. The values were significantly correlated. The combined results of both surveys found that the density was highest at St. 5 ($33^{\circ}$ 10.3', $126^{\circ}$ 23.3') and lowest at St. 8 ($33^{\circ}$ 20.7', $127^{\circ}$ 36.3'). The application of hydroacoustic methods offers a new approach for estimating the biomass of demersal fish aggregations.

• 수산해양기술연구
• /
• 제32권3호
• /
• pp.266-272
• /
• 1996

The distribution and abundance of fish in the Cheju southeastern area was studied by the combined hydroacoustic and bottom trawl surveys in April 1994 and in July 1995, respectively. The main purpose of these investigations was to provide the basic data for this management and the biomass estimation of commercially important demersal fish stocks in this area. The hydroacoustic surveys were performed by using a 50 kHz scientific echo sounder system with a microcomputer-based echo integrator. Acoustical measurements of fish abundance and distribution were conducted along the cruise tracks of research vessel and during all trawl hauls by continuous echo sounding. The average weight-normalized target strength for demersal fish aggregations was derived from the relationship between the mean volume backscattering strength for the depth strata of trawl hauls and the weight per cubic meter of trawl catches. The geographical distribution of fish stocks in the 1994 survey area was investigated in relation to oceanographic conditions. The results obtained can be summarized as follows: 1. From the 1994 and 1995 survey data, the relationship between the mean volume backscattering strength (, dB) for the depth strata of trawl hauls and the weight (W, kg/$m^3$) per cubic meter of trawl catches was expressed by the following equation = - 32.8+ lOlog(W) The average weighted-target strength value at 50 kHz derived from this equation was .. 32.8 dB/kg. 2. In 1994 and 1995, both surveys showed a trend of decreasing fish abundance toward the southern area of the Cheju Island with high densities offish along the west coast ofth.e Tsushima Island. The highest demersal concentrations in the southern area of the CheJu Island appeared in bottom waters colder than $12^{\circ}C.$. . 3. From the results of combined bottom trawl and hydroacoustic surveys, the estunated fish densities in the southeastern area of the Cheju Island were 1.5488 x $10^-4$kg/$m^3$ in the 1994 surveyand 1.9498 x $10^-4$kg/$m^3$ in the 1995 survey, respectively.