The fish species composition and variation in the Youngil Bay, East Sea of Korea, were investigated every month from January, 2001, to December, 2002, using gill nets for sample collection. A total of 63 fish species belonging to 31 families under 10 orders, and a total of 40 species belonging to 26 families under 8 orders, were identified in 2001 and 2002, respectively. Of these, the families Pleuronectidae (9 species), Scorpaenidae (8 species) and Cottidae (5 species) were dominant in 2001, whereas Pleuronectidae (4 species), Cottidae (3 species) and Hexagrammidae (3 species) were dominant in 2002. The number of species recovered was the highest in August, 2001 (34 species) and January and September, 2002 (14 species each), and lowest in May, 2001 (6 species) and December, 2002 (5 species). The principal component analysis for each year showed that fish species composition differed over time even within the same sample area. In addition, the relationship between PC scores and temperature showed a positive relationship in 2001, but a negative relationship in 2002.