Southwest Pacific: In the Japanese Mandated Islands fishing was traditionally car- 

 ried on hy the natives who operated small hand-propelled boats near the atolls and islands. 

 Tuna and spearfish were occasionally taiken hy trolling a feather jig behind a sailing out- 

 rigger canoe or to' line fishing in depths to about 40 mnters. The amount caught was neg- 

 ligible. 



Soon after the Jayar.ese obtained control of the islnnds (at the end of World War I) 

 they began to take an interest in developing certain fishing operations in the southwest 

 Pacific. Between 1923. and 1925 several fishery experts were sent into the region to evaluate 

 prospects for establishing coirmeroially feasible operations. Favorable reports regarding the 

 presence of skipjack were brought beusk to Japan. Ease of fishing operations in calm seas and 

 the fact that fish could be taken in profitable quantities throughout the year were added 

 inducements. 



By 1930 various companies had established bases in the Mandated Islands, the Phil- 

 ippine Islands, and the Dutch East Indies, primarily to take the skipjack. These conpanies 

 utilized iciported Japanese and Okinawan fishermen almost entirely. Although the density of 

 the skipjack populations in the southwest Pacific is low in comparison with those in Japs- 

 neee waters, the species can be found everywhere throughout the region. Therefore fishing 

 was profitable. Major difficulties, however, were caused by lack of sufficient live bait and 

 an inadequate supply of fresh water. When live bait waa available the intense heat of the 

 tropics killed the bait within a few hours. Therefore, operations were on a snail scale and 

 were mainly designed to catch the skipjack within 40 sea miles of the land bases during a 

 single day's operation. Minor quantities of small yellowfln tuna swimming at the surface 

 were also taken. Operation of boats over 30 tons was unprofitable in most of the localities, 

 tievertheless it was possible to make a good catch. Fisheries statistics published by the 

 South Sea Oovernment General (Table 17) show the trend in the development of the fisheries 

 noted above, a negligible catch of skipjack 11/ prior to 1930, then rapid expansion of the 

 fisheries during the following decade. Most of the skipjack was processed into katsuobushi 

 and shipped to Japan. The large quantities (Table 9) placed on the home market caused a drop 

 in the price of the processed article. Competition became especially severe in 1937. and 

 protests from J-i^anese producers caused the dovernir.rnt General of the South Sea Islands to 

 put into effect regulations limiting the number of skipjack bo'^ts that could operate locally. 

 Data on the catch taken by Jspanese-cont rolled companies in the Philippine Islands and the 

 Dutch East Indies have been either lost or destroyed during the war. The Js^ianese Tune. Fish- 

 ermen's Association, however, has managed to obtain enough information to Indicate the scope 

 of the operations in those regions (Table 18). 



Tuna long line fishing was also practiced by the Je^anese companies in the south- 

 west Pacific, but on a very small scale (Table 19) because of the lack of capital and men 

 erperienced in this type of operation. Nevertheless, it soon became apparent that year- 

 round long line fishing might be profitable. Ease of fishing operations was another induce- 

 ment. Larger fishing companies in Japan began to show an interest in the southern regions, 

 and during the 1930' e, especially between 1931 and 1934, several companies euid research sta- 

 tions mnde surveys to determine the fishing areas and the density of the pcfpulations in the 

 broad area extending from the Mandated Islamds west through the Dutch East Indies into the 

 Indian Ocean. Their results (Tables 1 to 3) showed that poselbllities of developing huge 

 long line fisheries, chiefly for the yellowfln tuna and the marllns, existed In this vast 

 area. 



Eiqjerlenced tana long line operators in Japan became aware of the evidence accum- 

 ulated on fishing posEibilltiee in the Mandated Islsmds region, and in 1938 they began to 

 send their large vessels to that area, primarily for yellowfln tuna and marlln. For a four- 

 year period (1938-41) boats made the long trip from Japan to the area where the Equatorial 

 Counter Current peieses through the Mandated Islands and were able to operate profitably. 

 The number of vessels sent was limited by the amount of fuel issued under Japanese amy and 

 navy control for such operations. Almost the entire catch of tuna obtained in the South 

 Seas was landed at Misaki. A few vessels operated from Tsuro and Muroto and landed their 



11/ The figures for the skipjack probably Include the small anount of yellowfln tuna cap- 

 tured by pole and line fishing. 



51 

 p-630 7 



