FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 70, NO. 2 



Table 5. — Japanese salmon catches by different fisheries compared with the total Soviet 

 salmon catches. Catches are in metric tons X 10^. 



1 Total of sockeye, pink, chum, coho, and Chinook salmon. 



Source of Japanese data; Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Japan) (1962-71). 



Source of Soviet data: FAO Yearbook of Fishery Statistics and Kasahara (1963). 



has been shared by different fisheries since 1956" 

 (see Figure 3 for the fishing grounds of various 

 fisheries). Although the details of changes in 

 regulatory measures under the convention have 

 not been mentioned, the above review clearly in- 

 dicates that the Japanese high seas salmon fish- 

 eries have been subject to an increasing amount 

 of control. The table also compares the Jap- 

 anese catches (including small amounts of salm- 

 on destined for Japanese streams) with the So- 

 viet catches. 



Annual negotiations between the two govern- 

 ments both within and outside the commission 

 have been very political, and in most cases im- 

 portant decisions have been made toward the end 

 of each year's session as political compromises. 

 From the data and information exchanged 

 through the commission, it is difficult to evaluate 

 the status of each of the important salmon stocks, 

 particularly because the origin of much of the 

 fish taken in offshore waters is not identifiable 

 (except for such stocks as Karaginski pink 

 salmon which to a large degree remain separate 

 from others in their offshore distribution). The 

 fact that the Japanese mothership fishery takes 

 a large amount of Bristol Bay sockeye salmon 

 in some years further complicates the situation. 



The possibility of Korean fishermen conduct- 

 ing high seas salmon fishing in the Japan-Soviet 



" A 2-year cycle due to pink salmon fluctuations i.s 

 obvious. This has been taken into account when setting 

 quotas. 



treaty area has posed a problem which is sub- 

 stantially diflferent from the question of Korean 

 entry in the eastern Pacific. The Soviet Union 

 has unofficially indicated that, if that happened, 

 any amount of salmon Korea might take would 

 have to be subtracted from the quota for the 

 Japanese fisheries. Korean salmon fishing has 

 not developed as yet, perhaps for two reasons: 

 First, lacking diplomatic relations with the So- 

 viet Union, their fishing vessels might be seized 

 and fishermen jailed by the Soviet authorities 

 if the Soviet government should take a strong 

 stand, and there would be no way of settling the 

 problem through negotiations, nor would any of 

 the nations bordering the North Pacific take a 

 sympathetic attitude toward South Korea. Sec- 

 ond, the Japanese government and industry 

 might take retaliatory measures such as more 

 severe restrictions on sea food import from 

 Korea. 



North Pacific Crab Controversies 



International problems arising from king crab 

 fishing after World War II are rather unique 

 in several respects. Japan, the Soviet Union, 

 and the United States have all been fishing for 

 king crab, with Japan and the Soviet Union 

 operating distant-water fisheries. While all 

 three states fish for crab in the eastern Bering 

 Sea, there has been no tripartite agreement 

 dealing with crab fishing, international problems 



250 



