Fishing characters of skate ray, Raja pulchra by the offshore longline fishery in Heuksan-do, Korea

Catches, CPUE, fishing season, disc width composition and fishing ground were studied to rebuild skate ray, Raja pulchra resource by the offshore longline fishery in Heuksan-do, Korea. Annual catches and CPUE of skate ray were increased from 2003 to 2010 (CPUE: from 2007 to 2010) continuously. The main fishing season of the skate ray was from December to next May. Disc width at 50% maturity for Raja pulchra by sex were estimated to be 65.83cm, 57.01cm by female and male respectively. The range of disc width was 22.3-112.0cm and the average disc width was 66.9cm, 60.0cm by female and male of Raja pulchra respectively during 2007-2010. Annual average of disc width of female skate ray was decreased from 2007 to 2010. The fishing grounds were formed from the coastal water off Hong-do to the coastal water off Gyeogyeolbiyeol-do, Korea. The center of fishing ground in October was formed in the northwestern coastal water off Gyeogyeolbiyeol-do and separated from that of the other months.