Fish assemblage structure in the East China Sea and southern Yellow Sea during autumn and spring

Based on bottom trawl surveys in autumn 2000 and spring 2001, the fish assemblage structure in the southern Yellow Sea and the continental shelf of the East China Sea was analysed. Four groups of fishes were identified for each season by the two‐way indicator species analysis (TWIA). Although seasonal migration caused a slight difference in fish assemblages between autumn and spring, two major groups of fishes, corresponding to the Yellow Sea and East China Sea were identified. Inshore and offshore groups were subsequently separated. Changes in water depth may be most important in the separation of the groups in the offshore waters of the East China Sea. Temperature affected the groupings between north and south, particularly in the central part of the Yellow Sea. Here, the cold water mass affected the species composition which was low in diversity and different from the other areas.