Current situation and analysis on trawl fishery in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea area

The trawl fishery in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea was studied based on an onsite sampling survey and field measurement of the trawl fishery conducted from June to July in 2010 and from June to August in 2012.Fisheries statistics including landings,fishing gears and methods were obtained from the Chinese Fisheries Yearbook from 1983 to 2011 and the 2009 annual reports by the fishery bureaus of Hebei,Liaoning,Shandong and Tianjin.This study showed that at the end of June 2012,the total number of trawl boats of the three provinces and one municipality was estimated at 12 358,of which 6 926 and 5 432 are single-vessel and double-vessels trawls,respectively.The percentages of the fishing vessels with powers below 44.1 kW,44.1 kW to 109.5 kW,110.3 kW to 219.8 kW,220.5 kW to 441 kW,and above 441 kW were 36.86%,30.34%,19.41%,12.59%,and 0.80%,respectively.With the exception of the rise of the number of trawl boats in 2007,the annual number of trawl boats had been decreasing and the total fishing powers had been raising during 2003 to 2011.There are four types of trawl nets with double-wings and single-cod-end,beam trawl with single-cod-end,beam trawl with several-cod-ends and framework trawl net with single-cod-end.The catch of trawl fishery of the three provinces and one municipality reached the highest of 2 711.1 thousand tons in 1999,and has decreased to 2 019.2 thousand tons in 2011.Trawl fishing is the main fishing operation in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea.The comprehensive analysis shows that trawl fishery is over-capitalized in the studied area and many single-vessel and double-vessel are outdated.Thus,the total number and power of trawlers of the three provinces and one municipality(Hebei,Liaoning,Shandong and Tianjin) should be controlled.Measures should be taken to control the total fishing pressure of the trawler fishery of the three provinces and one municipality by reducing the amount of trawlers and encouraging the update of these trawlers to develop off-sea trawl fishery.