344 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FLSH COMMISSION 



Trepang fisheries. — Trepaugs or sea-ciiciimbers {Holothuria) are col. 

 lected with dredges upou the saady bottom of the sea arouud the ishind. 

 They are boiled iu the decoctioii of the leaves of "yomogi" (a i)laut of 

 the geuus Artemisia) after the abdominal contents have been cleaned 

 out, and are dried in a kind of kiln for exportation principally to the 

 Chinese market. 



Ear-shell fisheries. — The ear-shell or sea-ear {Haliotis) is a large gas- 

 tero])od occurring only on the western coast. It is speared with a sort 

 of trident from a dory in water from 2 to 4J fathoms deep, the fishermen 

 being enabled to discern the mollusk in these depths by the aid of an 

 open box with a glass bottom, used on the same princiide as a sponge- 

 fisherman's water-glass. Suits of diving apparatus were formerly much 

 used for this fishing ; but this use was recently prohibited by legislation, 

 on account of their devastating influence upon the fisheries. After the 

 fresh product is separated from the shell, it is cooked, dried, and slightly 

 smoked, for sending over to China. 



Squid fisheries. — Squid is caught with hook and line, during tlie fall. 

 It is split and dried, both for home consumption and for exx)ortatiou to 

 China. 



'■^ Eombu^^ fisheries. — " Kombu " is a species of algse belonging to the 

 genus Laminariu, growing upon submerged rocks in salt water. The 

 best kind is collected mostly on the northeastern coast during the fall 

 months. It is dried by spreading it upon a sandy beach, and afterward 

 cut up into lengths of 4 feet, and bound into bundles weighing about 

 06 pounds each. It is inspected and branded before exporting to the 

 markets of China. 



Sea-otter fisheries. — The sea-otter is found about the Kurile Islands, 

 where it is captured by means of guns and small bomb-lances, for its 

 exceedingly rich furs. It is to be much regretted that this valuable fur- 

 bearing mammal is rapidly diminishing in number, on account of the 

 indiscriminate destruction of both young and old by those who come 

 from diflerent countries to hunt it. 



Oyster fisheries. — The oyster occurs in the shape of small islands in 

 some lagoons on the northeastern coast. It is cooked and dried with 

 steam, and sent to China. 



STATISTICS. 

 Number ofpersonSf boats, selves, and nets engaged in the fisheries of Hokkaido in 1884. 



Fisheries proprietors 



Employed bands 



Boaia 



Seines 



Trap-nets 



Gill-nota 



Miscellaneons nets. .. 



Total. 



7,880 

 65, 773 

 35, 373 



1,089 



3,098 

 184, 250 



6,511 



