Metric tons (thousands) 



China 



Japan 



Korea 



Taiwan 



lOriftnet Z3 Squid Jigging Dluna Longliner 



I Tuna Purse Seine O North Pacific Trawler IID Trawler-Other 



Figure 2. -Asia. Distant-water jish catch, by Jleel and quantity. 1991. 



trawl fisheries.' The Japanese Government announced 

 a compensation plan in November 1991 which 

 encouraged small-and medium-sized trawler companies 

 to reduce their donut hole fleets between 1991-94 by 

 offering $1.9-$3.2 million per vessel in compensation/ 

 Since the closure of the donut hole to fishing, small to 

 medium-sized Japanese trawlers have been restricted to 

 domestic Alaska pollock fisheries off the coast of 

 Hokkaido. The ROK and China, however, have 

 transferred most of their donut hole fleets to the so- 

 called "peanut hole," located in the international waters 

 of the Sea of Okliotsk off the coast of Russia. 



No foreign fishing took place in tlie peanut hole 

 region until 1991 when donut hole catch decreased 

 dramatically. The ROK has reportedly transferred 18- 

 23 of its 41 vessel North Pacific trawling fleet to the 

 region, while 4-5 Chinese vessels operate there. '^ The 

 Russian Federation, under pressure from Far Eastern 

 fishing interests and fearing another resource collapse 

 a la the donut hole, has enacted a new law which bans 

 all fishing in the peanut hole, effective June 15, 1993." 

 The ROK and China have protested tliis unilateral 

 action affecting a fishery located in international waters 

 and China continues fishing there. 



The Russian Government convened a multi-lateral 

 meeung in late May 1993 to discuss fishing activity in 

 the peanut hole. At this meeung, the ROK and China 



pledged to reduce their 1993 catch in the peanut hole 

 by 25 percent. Japan reaffirmed its commitment not to 

 fish in the peanut hole, but Poland would make no 

 commimient to reduce effort. Another meenng is 

 scheduled to be held in Moscow during October 1993 

 to further discuss the future of this fishery. 



The ROK North Pacific trawler fleet has also 

 attempted to secure access to Alaska pollock resources 

 within the Russian FEZ. The ROK did obtain Russian 

 allocations in 1992 and 1993, but have so far managed 

 only a negligible Alaska pollock catch in Russian 

 waters. ROK vessels were given Alaska pollock 

 allocanons in the waters of the disputed Northern 

 Territories in 1992, but the Japanese Government urged 

 the ROK to respect die Japanese claim to the 

 Territories, and thus the ROK actually caught very 

 little Alaska pollock in Russian waters during 1992. In 

 1993, the ROK was given an allocation in the Russian 

 EEZ of 150,000 t, but the inability of the two sides to 

 reach quick agreement on the price ROK companies 

 would have to pay for a ton of Alaska pollock has 

 resulted in limited ROK fishing within Russian waters. 



Other Distant-water Trawlers: All four of the 

 major Asian distant-water fishing fleets have engaged 

 in distant-water trawling. Japan and the ROK are die 

 most active, with significant fleets in the Atlandc, 

 Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Taiwan has had a limited 



