

THE FISHERIES OF JAPAN. 427 



THE COD FISHERY. 



Two species of cod are objects of fisheries in Japan; these are Gadus brandti (Jap- 

 anese tara*) and Gadus chalcogrammus (Japanese suketo-dftra). The cod are gregarious 

 bottom fish living at a depth of more than 500 feet and limited to those seas which are 

 within the reach of cold currents. Cod fishing is mostly carried on in January and 

 February, when the fish come near the shore for spawning. In some places they come 

 up to a depth of about 100 feet, but in others are never found at a depth of less than 

 650 feet. They feed on herrings, lampreys, squids, and lobsters. The first-named species 

 is the more abundant and important, the other being found chiefly near Niigata. 



Cod fishing is carried on with long lines, hand lines, gill nets, and pound nets. 

 The long line is more commonly used than the hand line, and the gill net than the 

 pound net, the latter being restricted to a single locality. 



The two baskets of loug lines exhibited are such as are used near Niigata in 

 fishing for Gadus chalcogrammus. It is a line 225 feet long, bearing 55 snoods of about 

 2 feet each. Such a line is put into a shallow basket made of bamboo, and is called 

 a " maki." A boat of 6 men uses 80 such " maki v tied end to end into a single line; 

 at each end and in the middle are tied a stone and a barrel buoy, the latter by means 

 of a cord; also at the end of each " maki" are attached alternately a small stone and 

 a float, so that the whole line may not lie flat on the bottom, but be kept floating at 

 intervals. For bait, sardines and squids, cut into pieces of convenient size, are used. 



The cod gill net is a hempen net used along the shores of the Sea of Japan for 

 catching Gadus chalcogrammus. For this purpose it is sunk to the bottom of the sea. 

 A single piece is about 1,212 feet long and about 5 feet high, and the meshes are 

 about 3 inches. For floats, pieces of varnish -tree or of Paulownia impcrialis are used, 

 and for grapnels stone and wood. A single boat uses several pieces joined together. 

 For Gadus brandti nets with larger meshes and made of bigger cords are used. 



The cod is but little eaten in a fresh condition. The fish is cured in different 

 ways and exported to various countries. Pressed cod is made in Hokkaido after 

 the American method. One hundred pounds cost about 12 yen. Split cod are slightly 

 salted and then dried in the sun. A hundred pounds cost 5 or 6 yen. The yearly 

 produce represents from 40,000 to 50,000 yen, or over 800,000 pounds. 



Cod-liver oil is manufactured in Hokkaido and sold in bottles containing a pound 

 each. This is used exclusively for medicine. A dozen of such bottles cost about 2 

 yen and 4 sen. The yearly produce is increasing. 



THE SOLE AND FLOUNDER FISHERIES. 



Many species of flatfishes are found in the waters of Japan. Among the most 

 important are Pseudorhombus cinnamoneus (called kanzo-hirame), P.olivaceus (hirame), 

 Parophrys cornuta (meita-garei), Pleuronectes scutifer (ishi-garei), P. variegata (hoshi- 

 garei), and Plagusiajaponica (ushinoshita-garei). They are all bottom fishes and spawn 

 mostly in winter. 



' In the capture of these fishes both nets and lines are used; but the former, of 

 which gill nets, trawls, and dredges are employed, are the chief means by which most 

 of the market fish are obtained. The lines are either the long or the hand line. 



" Changed into dara when compounded with a prefix. 



