Estimations on population ecological parameters of the small yellow croaker, Larimichthy polyactis in Korean waters, were calculated using catch data based on coastal and offshore drift gillnet fishery and biological data from 2010 to 2012. The population ecological parameters included survival rate, instantaneous coefficient of natural and fishing mortality and age/length at first capture. The survival rate (S) of the small yellow croaker was estimated to be 0.20 from catch curve method. The instantaneous coefficient of natural mortality (M) was estimated to be 0.46/year with Alverson and Carney method. The instantaneous coefficient of total mortality (Z) was 1.611/year, used to be transformed the survival rate and the instantaneous coefficient of fishing mortality (F) were 1.153/year. The length at first capture ($L_c$) was 19.1cm by Pauly method, and the age at first capture ($t_c$) was 1.303 years of the small yellow croaker by the coastal and offshore drift gillnet fishery.