The first occurrence of a giant squid, Architeuthis sp. (one specimen), and the oarfish, Regalecus russellii (two specimens) in the East Sea were reported based on specimens collected in January and February 2010. The giant squid (Architeuthis sp.) stranded at Pohang in Jan. 2010 was female, 175 cm in mantle length (ML), 506 cm in tentacle length (TL), and 33.9% FL/ML, it contained common squid beaks. Both stranded oarfish (Regalecus russellii) at Uljin (Jan. 2010) and Yeongdeok (Feb. 2010) were male, with total weigths (TW) of 18,506 and 21,703 g and total lengths (TL) of 3,850 and 3,670 mm, respectively. The stomach of the first was empty, while that of the second was filled with euphausiids. In the East Sea, giant squid have been stranded 14 times in five areas, while 17 oarfish have been stranded in nine areas. Since 1990, the two species have been found most often at Pohang.

This study was conducted to provide basic data for optimal fisheries management through the accurate understanding the catches, fishing level, species composition, distribution characteristics and fisheries status of trammel net in

We examined the species composition and community structure of demersal fish in the middle and southern coastal waters of the East Sea of Korea by surveying a commercial Danish seine fishery from 2010 to 2013. We considered the waters north of 37°N as middle and those south of 37°N as southern waters. A total of 79 demersal fish species belonging to 18 families were collected. Of these, 59 species (77.6%) inhabited only the East Sea as opposed to the West and South Seas of Korea, and most were resident species. The species and biomass were similar between the two portions of the study area. The sandfish Arctoscopus japonicus (78.0%) and the blackfin flounder Glyptocephalus stelleri (65.1%) were the most common species and accounted for the most biomass in the middle and southern waters, respectively. Fish were most abundant at shallow depths (50-100 m) in the middle portion of the East Sea. Using a cluster analysis, we divided the species composition and community structure at the sampling stations into three groups: middle portion (group A), deep area of the southern portion (group B), and shallow areas of the southern portion (group C). A. japonicas and G. stelleri were dominant in groups A and B, while G. stelleri and Clupea pallasii were dominant in group C.

No abstract

The feeding habits of Lycodes tanakae Eelpout were studied with 722 specimens collected from March 2011 to December 2012 in the coastal waters of the middle East Sea. The main prey of L. tanakae were fish, molluscs and arthropods. Nevertheless annelida, echinodermata and others were found in small amounts in the stomach contents. The L. tanakae stomach was empty of contents in 50.9% of specimens. While smaller size specimens of L. tanakae (less than 40 cm) fed mainly on euphausiids and amphipods, the larger specimens (more than 40 cm) fed on the fish Allolepis hollandi and Icelus cataphractus, and the molluscs Berryteuthis magister and Watasenia scintillans. The main prey items of L. tanakae varied seasonally. The fish Lycodes nakamurai was the dominat prey from November to January during its spawning season. Euphausiids and amphipods of the arthropods were the dominant prey from February to April. The molluscs Berryteuthis magister and Watasenia scintillans were the dominant prey from May to September. The diversity index (H') of diets showed variations by length class and month; the highest values were 2.61 in the length class of 51-55 cm, and the monthly highest were 2.68 in September with 23 species and 2.65 in November with 18 species. The highest dominance index (D') of diets was 0.57 in the length class of 31-35 cm, and the monthly highest was 0.71 in February. Cluster analysis divided prey groups into four groups by length class and three groups by monthly prey items. The gonad index gradually increased during the process of maturation while, contrary, stomach content index decreased during this period.