Populations of Zacco koreanus, distributed in four different tributaries of mid-upper
reach Nakdong River were investigated to analyze a length-weight relation and von
Bertalanffy s growth model. Fish sampling was conducted by common method (cast
net and kick net) during March to October 2005. Fishes caught in the field were
identified immediately, and then individuals of Zacco koreanus were preserved in
10percentage formalin to further measure their total length and weight in the
laboratory. As the results of the equation based on length-weight relation, values of
parameter b on the population of all tributaries were greater than 3.0 and the value on
Bohyeon Stream was the maximum (3.26), indicating that the fish in the stream became
more rotund as the length increases. In the mean time, we examined Brody growth constant
(k) induced by the von Bertalanffy’s growth model, and we found more steady
state population in Wi (-0.18) and Byeongbo (-0.21) Streams than in Ian (-0.38) and
Bohyeon (-0.37) Streams. The findings would be used to assess local water environment
on tributaries of the Nakdong River with understanding of ecological characteristics
on the population of Zacco koreanus, as well as provide us fundamental information on
domestic study of fish ecology.