Pukyong National University Develops Korea's First eDNA-Based Fish Resource Quantitative Assessment Technique

Professor Kim Kyunghoe's Research Team Publishes Study Results in International Academic Journal

National Pukyong University (President Bae Sang-hoon) announced that Professor Kim Kyung-hoe's research team (Department of Ocean Engineering) has developed the first eDNA-based fish resource quantification method in Korea.

Professor Kim Kyung-hoe of the Department of Ocean Engineering at National Pukyong University, doctoral student Park Sung-sik, and Dr. Yoon Seok-jin from the National Institute of Fisheries Science conducted a numerical study using the environmental DNA (eDNA) approach to assess fish population and distribution in a semi-enclosed bay.

Professor Kim Kyung-hoe.

eDNA is an innovative method that extracts ecological information by utilizing trace genetic material from organisms, and it is considered more efficient and non-invasive compared to traditional survey methods.

In this study, the research team analyzed the effects of environmental factors such as water temperature and currents on the distribution and concentration of eDNA through numerical modeling, thereby evaluating the accuracy of the eDNA approach in estimating fish distribution.

The research team demonstrated that the eDNA-based approach is a useful tool for estimating fish resources in semi-enclosed bays and suggested new possibilities for fisheries and marine ecosystem management.

The paper containing these research results, titled “Numerical Study on Evaluation of Environmental DNA Approach for Estimating Fish Abundance and Distribution in Semi-Enclosed Bay,” was recently published in an SCIE international journal.