Monthly changes in the rate of bycatch fishes and their immature ratio caught by gape net with wings in the coast of Yeosu and Jindo Island, Korea

Abstract

We examined monthly changes in the rate of fishes by-caught by gape net with wings and their immature ratio in the coast of Yeosu and Jindo Island, Korea. A minus correlation between bycatch rate, the ratio of fishes except for anchovy, Engraulis japonicus, to all fishes collected by gape net with wings, and individuals of the collected anchovy was significantly observed, implying that as the anchovy catch decreased and the bycatch rate increased. Immature ratios by the dominant bycatch species during the study is the following; Leiognathus nuchalis was 72.7~99.0%, Sphyraena pinguis was 84.0%, Sardinella zunasi was 90.0%, others (Leptocephalus, Trichiurus lepturus, Ammodytes personatus, Sphyraena pinguis, Trachurus japonicas, Mugil cephalus and Erisphex pottii) were 100.0%. In order to decrease the high bycatch rates of immature fishes in spring and autumn, our study suggested increasing of codend mesh size and developing suitable bycatch reduction devices in a gape net with wings.