음향 및 광학기법을 이용한 노무라입깃해파리 (Nemopilema nomurai)의 수층별 분포 관찰에 관한 연구

Abstract

A giant jellyfish (Nemopilema nomurai), which is presumed developing in the East China Sea, is recently one of major issues in the Northeast Asia region due to its fatal damage to the fishery. The biomass estimates have generally been conducted by trawl sampling and sighting survey methods. The biological research is also needed to clarify such environmental origin or diurnal migration patterns. While trawl sampling or sighting survey methods are effective to investigate its density estimates in its distributed community of near bottom or surface, they have a problem in investigation on the vertical distribution of jellyfishes. In this case, an echo sounding detection would have an advantage to survey it more extensively and effectively. This trial was conducted to observe the vertical distribution of giant jellyfish, where thermocline strongly formed, during mooring at each station of the East China Sea and southern coastal area using acoustical and optical methods. By the results, they were observed to exit and move at the water column under the thermocline using the optical camera and echo sounder system, and the information was analyzed to find out the acoustical sound scattering characteristics relatives to 120kHz frequency. These results can be utilized effectively to estimate the vertical distribution and biomass of Giant jellyfish with comparing results from trawl sampling and sighting survey methods, hereafter.