ALBACORE, Thunnus germo 



SEPTEMBER 



General 



Within the scope of our data, albacore fishing in September is 

 still extremely sparsely distributed, and no fishing grounds showing 

 concentrated catches are formed in any of the sea areas. However, 

 this season is the period at which fishing grounds are beginning to be 

 formed in the North Pacific and, although at the present time our studies 

 have not advanced to the point where these data are very pertinent, it is 

 believed that hereafter they may prove to have an important significance 

 in judging the formation of fishing grounds and the fishing situation. 



As the chart shows, the data are concentrated in the North Pacific 

 o 

 along 40 N. , in the subtropical region (middle latitudes), and in the tro- 

 pical sea area. Considering them by sea areas, they are in general as 

 follows. 



1. North Pacific Area 



The fishing grounds are centered along the line of 40 N, and 

 extend east amd west in a zone. 



This sea area is confined between the Polar Front and the Sub- 

 tropical Convergence. It corresponds to the area of the flow of the 

 North Pacific Current, and according to the North Pacific current charts 

 (Japanese Hydrograp hie Office, No. 6031C), the current flows to the east 

 at speeds of 0. 3 to 0.7 knots, mainly 0.3 to 0.4 knots. Along the northern 

 edge, however, the direction of flow is irregular. Since we have no data 

 on the distribution of water temperatures, we know nothing about the pic- 

 ture over the whole sea area, however, the following table presents extracts 

 from the results of sectional observations directly east of Same, inAonnori 

 Prefecture (about 40°30'N. ). 



Translator's note: 



The longline "catch rate, " which is constantly referred to in this 

 report, is the catch per 100 hooks fished per day. For the location of 

 the major sea areas mentioned, see the frontispiece. 



In order to save a great deal of typing and drafting the original 

 tables and figures have been photographically copied. Clarifying notes 

 have been added where necessary, but minor faults of typography and 

 spelling have not been corrected. 



