During the summer of 1989, the authors carried out the hydroacoustic surverys to investigate the vertical distribution of volume backscattering strength in the East China Sea and simultaneously the biological sampling of the scattering layers by bottom trawling. The echoes from the scattering layers was continuously measured by using a 50 kHz echo sounder during the day and night. A data acquisition system was used to record digitally the envelope of the echoes and the echo integration technique was used to determine the scattering strength proportional to biomass density in each layer. The vertical profiles of volume backscattering strength also were compared with the one of water temperature. The results obtained can be summarized as follows: 1. The vertical profiles of mean volume backscattering strength at day and night suggested that during the night the biggest fish concentrations appeared in the mixed layer above the thermocline and during the day near the bottom. In another profiles where the thermocline was not well developed, peaks in scattering appeared at midwater depths and near the bottom. 2. The maximum values of mean volume backscattering strengths varied from -49.3 dB to -48.0 dB on different regions and at different times of the day and night. 3. Trawl data indicated that the organisms consisting of the scattering layer near the bottom were squid and various species of demersal fishes.