Yellow Goosefish

Lophius litulon

Monk

1. What is it?

The Chinese anglerfish, also known as yellow goosefish or monk Lophius litulon and occurs in the Northwest Pacific. Its distribution is restricted from Hokkaido to Kyushu, the Yellow Sea, and the East China Sea. Detailed captures or stock assessments for this fish are lacking and concern exists as the species is recognised to be highly vulnerable to fisheries due to their low growth rate and late maturity mainly.

2. How was it caught or farmed?

Yellow goosefish are caught using bottom trawling. Bottom trawling damages vulnerable taxa such as elasmobranch, cetaceans, and sessile benthic invertebrates. Chinese and Korean fleets produce moderate to low discards, whereas the rate of discards of the Japanese one is about 14%. The negative effects of bottom trawl on the physical structure of the benthos and on the ecosystem, functioning have been widely demonstrated, including long-term changes of the community structure.

3.Where is it from?

Yellow goosefish are caught in China, Korea, and Japan. Although most trawl fisheries in national waters in FAO 61 are subject to a management regime, details on the regulations are not available. Steps have been taken to promote regional, inter-governmental fisheries management in the area, but detailed results are not available.

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Fishing Type: Offshore demersal trawl

Origin: Northwest Pacific FAO 61

Trawl nets are dragged along the seabed at depths between 110 and 800 metres. Demersal trawling is known to damage the seabed and is non-selective, resulting in the incidental bycatch of a number of species (fishes, sharks, rays and seabirds). Seabird bycatch has been reduced thanks to the introduction of tori lines, coloured streamers that deter birds, and improved methods for disposing fish discards.