In Relation to the Formation of Fishing Ground and the Fluctuation of Fishing Condition of Anchovy , Engranlis Japonica , Catched by Anchovy Drag Net

In order to make clear the mechanism forming the fishing ground of anchovy drag net in connection with water temperature, catch and oceanographic data for the years of 1970-1988 in the Southern Sea of Korea were analyzed. The annual catch of anchovy drag net was about 21,000M/T in 1970 but it was increasing largely so far 100,000M/T in recent years. The fishing season of anchovy drag net is the whole year beside the prohibition season established in aims to protect the spawning group of anchovy, and then in the best season of the period from July to December, the fishing ground is made up in the coastal area joining Yosu, Namhaedo and Bangeojin. There were some evidences that the fishing condition was controlled by the oceanographic condition, especially water temperature, that is, when there was large difference in water temperature between the south area of the Eastern Sea and the west area of the southern Sea and the thermocline is formed strongly in the larger less than 20m, the fishing condition was good. On the other hand, there was a very effective correlation between the catch(X) of anchovy spawning group in Spring by other fishing gears, mainly drift net and that(Y) of the little size of anchovy by drag net in Autumn, expressed by the relative equation, Y=62,246+1.3X, r=0.63.