Marine Fishing Gear and Aquacultural Engineering

A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Aquaculture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 March 2026 | Viewed by 1465

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Marine Production Management, Chonnam National University, Yeosu, Republic of Korea
Interests: fishing gear engineering; aquacultural engineering; numerical modeling & analysis; GHG emissions from fisheries

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The demand for seafood is growing very rapidly around the world. In order to meet this demand, many new technologies have been developed in the field of fishing and aquaculture to contribute to the industry. For the better development of the fisheries sector, a lot of research is needed to improve the existing traditional fishing gear and aquaculture structures as well as to develop systems that combine artificial intelligence and reinforcement learning.

The scope of this special issue aims to collect and review papers on research results on traditional fishing gear and aquaculture structural engineering, as well as research on fishing gear and aquaculture structural engineering by artificial intelligence, reinforcement learning, and simulation methods, and techniques and theories on the ecological impacts of fishing gear.

This special issue particularly welcomes papers from engineering, numerical computing, and information science perspectives.

Prof. Dr. Jihoon Lee
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fishing gear
  • aquacultural engineering
  • mathematical model
  • simulation technology
  • fisheries sciences

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 1056 KB  
Article
An Integrated Delphi-AHP Study on the Systematic Improvement of Sea Anchors for Fishing Operations
by Namgu Kim, Youngjae Yu, Yoo-Won Lee and Kyung-Jin Ryu
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(9), 1796; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13091796 - 17 Sep 2025
Viewed by 381
Abstract
Sea anchors for fishing operations are essential equipment to enhance catch efficiency and ensure operational stability at sea. However, previous studies have mainly focused on theoretical modeling or experiments under restricted conditions, which have not sufficiently reflected the complex operating environments and practical [...] Read more.
Sea anchors for fishing operations are essential equipment to enhance catch efficiency and ensure operational stability at sea. However, previous studies have mainly focused on theoretical modeling or experiments under restricted conditions, which have not sufficiently reflected the complex operating environments and practical needs of real-world fisheries. To address this gap, this study derived key factors to improve the design and operation of sea anchors and quantitatively analyze the relative importance and rank of these factors. An expert panel was formed from 25 participants, including jigging vessel captains, recreational fishing boat captains, sea anchor manufacturers, and research institute workers. Using a three-round Delphi process followed by Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) analysis, we distilled an initial list of 52 improvement suggestions into 15 prioritized items, quantitatively ranked by relative importance based on expert consensus. The highest-ranked factor was ‘Enhancement of fabric drying performance’, followed by ‘Application of low-cost, high-efficiency materials’, ‘Improvement of recovery’, ‘Enhancement of UV resistance’, and ‘Product quality certification’. The highest-weighted metric was ‘Improvement of usability’, followed by ‘Enhanced durability’ and ‘Improvement of functionality’. The consistency ratio (CR) of the pairwise-comparison matrix was 0.0014 (AHP acceptability criterion: CR ≤ 0.1), confirming the reliability and consistency of the analysis. By reflecting real-world priorities through a robust and systematic analytical process, this study offers a foundation for evidence-based improvements in sea anchor design and operation, overcoming the limitations of earlier approaches rooted in subjective judgment or trial-and-error experience. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Fishing Gear and Aquacultural Engineering)
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19 pages, 2585 KB  
Article
Development of a Gear-Based Fisheries Management Index Incorporating Operational Metrics and Ecosystem Impact Indicators in Korean Fisheries
by Inyeong Kwon, Gun-Ho Lee, Young Il Seo, Heejoong Kang, Jihoon Lee and Bo-Kyu Hwang
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(9), 1770; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13091770 - 13 Sep 2025
Viewed by 316
Abstract
Traditional single-species fisheries management has proven inadequate for capturing ecosystem interactions, leading to a shift toward ecosystem-based approaches. In Korea, diverse small- and medium-scale with varying gear types, production volumes, and practices require management tools that address both ecological and industrial needs. This [...] Read more.
Traditional single-species fisheries management has proven inadequate for capturing ecosystem interactions, leading to a shift toward ecosystem-based approaches. In Korea, diverse small- and medium-scale with varying gear types, production volumes, and practices require management tools that address both ecological and industrial needs. This study developed a Gear-based Fisheries Management Index (GFMI) for 24 coastal and offshore fisheries in Korea. The framework, based on the “ideal gear attributes” defined by ICES, is structured around three objectives: gear controllability, environmental sustainability, and operational functionality. Sub-indicators and weights were derived through expert consultation using the Analytic Hierarchy Process and standardized with Z-scores from national statistics, including production volume, license numbers, and accident rates. Results show that in coastal fisheries, coastal gillnets (61.7) and coastal improved stow nets (60.7) recorded the highest scores, largely due to negative impacts such as bycatch, reproductive capacity, and gear loss. Coastal purse seines (40.9) received the lowest score, reflecting species selectivity advantages. In offshore fisheries, large bottom pair trawls (71.8) and Southwestern medium-size bottom pair trawl (69.3) ranked highest, indicating strong habitat impacts. While coastal improved stow nets, large purse seines, and large trawls performed well in operational functionality, high costs and efficiency constraints remain key vulnerabilities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Fishing Gear and Aquacultural Engineering)
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17 pages, 7446 KB  
Article
Structural Response and Volume Change Characteristics of Tuna Cages Equipped with External Egg Collection Nets
by Gun-Ho Lee, Inyeong Kwon and Seung-Cheol Ji
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(9), 1762; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13091762 - 12 Sep 2025
Viewed by 318
Abstract
The installation of an egg collection net in the upper section of a Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) cage (diameter 25 m × height 15 m) raises concerns regarding the potential compromise of cage stability due to the fine mesh size. [...] Read more.
The installation of an egg collection net in the upper section of a Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) cage (diameter 25 m × height 15 m) raises concerns regarding the potential compromise of cage stability due to the fine mesh size. This study addresses two primary questions: (1) How can the egg collection net be deployed effectively without undermining cage stability? (2) What are the effects of the egg collection net on the cage volume and shape under varying current conditions? To investigate these questions, a mass–spring interaction model was developed to simulate the contact behavior between net structures, and numerical simulations were performed under various current speeds and sinker weight conditions. The results indicate that optimal deployment is achieved when a sinker weight of 78.5 N per meter is applied along the lower perimeter of the egg collection net. The additional volume reduction induced by the egg collection net was minimal (0.01–0.54%), falling within the natural range of flow-induced fluctuations. These findings lay the groundwork for the development of more robust and efficient bluefin tuna aquaculture systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Fishing Gear and Aquacultural Engineering)
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