심해저면 침체어구 분포조사를 위한 장비개발

Abstract

It is absolutely possible for derelict fishing gears such as fish traps or gill nets to be ghost fishing gears. Derelict fishing gears make oceanic lives die by capturing them continuously. Such a phenomenon is so-called 󰡒ghost fishing󰡓. It is well known that ghost fishing substantially has influence on decline in fishing crop. Particularly in Korea, seabed in deep ocean of 500m up to 1,000m range is still suffering from underwater litter such as derelict fishing gears. However, It is difficult to investigate derelict fishing gears and to estimate their quantitative measurement without surveying them. In order to solve this matter, we have developed a practical and efficient survey equipment for derelict fishing gears on sea bottom. The equipment consists of a guide frame of tow-sled type, deep-sea camera systems and a position tracking device. This equipment was able to survey on the bottom of 500m water depth, which is in the experimental stage prior to surveying 1,000m water depth. This paper briefly introduces the developed equipment with description of mounted attachments and required accessories. Additionally, we obtained valuable outcomes from site-experiments at 500m water depth and appropriate requirements of the equipment to extend up to 1,000m water depth.