which they can be kept aliveo From both points of vie-^ we mr-; conclude 

 that the best skipjack bait fish are fat sardine frotn 2^U to 3.6 inches in 

 length. 



Paragraph 3 Skipjack Fishing Boats 



It is not too much to say that the factor which decides the success or 

 failure of skipjack fishing is the efficiency of the fishing boat. The 

 capabilities of the boat effect the length of the fishing season, the range 

 of the fishing groundSj. the number of days of operation, the number of 

 fishermen employed, and the ability to hold the catchc In short, the type 

 of boat used affects the #iole operation. 



As set forth in the first part of this paper, the history of the devel= 

 opment of the skipjack fishery has followed the same path as the history 

 of the development of skipjack boats. In the period when Japanese- style 

 boats powered only by oars were in use, the fishing grounds, season, and 

 catch corresponded to the potentialities of these vessels. The years in 

 which ^stern=style Yaketama / hot-bulb_7 boats were used saw a corres- 

 ponding development of the fisharyj and at present when steel-hullad 

 Diesel-powered boats of over 100 tons displacement are usedj the fishery 

 has reached a stage at which fishing car. be carried on at any time through- 

 out the year and in far distant waters, and fishing techniques can be fully 

 exploited. 



Fishing boats can be generally differentiated as wooden vessels or 

 steel vessels. There are aj.most no boats which engage solely in skipjack 

 fishing, the boats generally being called skipjaek=tuna boats. They carry 

 on both skipjack and tuna / longline_7 fishing and are equipped for both 

 types of operation. The design and layout of such a vessel is shown in 

 Figure 13 <> 



Tne practical requirements of a skipjack boat are 



(a) A strong hull, seaworthiness, and ease of operation, 



(b) Ability to stay at sea for at least two weeks, and a speed of at 

 least 8 knots, 



(c) ^ell-appointed bait tanks with a large bait=holding capacity, 



(d) Good ice storage and capacity to hold a large quantity of fresh 

 fish,. 



(e) Room for a large number of workers, 



(f) Good communications equipment, 



ihese points will be further discussed below„ 



1, Hull 



Present"day skipjack boats are either of wood or steel construction. 

 Wooden boats are from 60 to 135 tons; the majority of them are below 100 

 tonSj and the bulk of them ere in the 80 to 90 ton class. Steel vessels 

 are from 100 to 300 tor-, u.-, mdjcrity being between 120 and' 180 tons. The 

 tendency is for largei and larger boats to be used. The reasons for this 



40 



