that the variability increases to the northward. It appears that on both 

 the east and west sides of the 170 E. boundary line the changes with 

 latitude in the coefficient of variation are approximately equal. It should 

 also be noted that compared with the various sea areas west of 160 E. 

 the values for the coefficient of variation are in general small. In this 

 connection it can probably be said, for the North Pacific albacore fishing 

 situation as a whole, that it is more stable along the southern boundary 

 and that its variability increases to the northward. Furthermore, the 

 variability is greater in the west and the stability increases to the eastward. 



As for the size of the fish, it has already been stated several 

 times that they are larger in the south, smaller in the north, snaaller 

 in the west, and larger in the east, and this seems to mean that the 

 larger the fish taken in the fishery, the more stable the fishing condi- 

 tions on the fishing grounds. This is a point which should be thoroughly 

 considered in connection with the economic operation of the fishery. 



Table 12 presents data on the length (weight) composition of the 

 catch in various sections of the area between 160 E. and 180 which is 

 divided up as in table 1 1 into an eastern and western half and further 

 into sections of 2 of latitude. 



The table shows that the fish are larger in the south and smaller 



in the north ajid, furthermore, although the difference is small, that they 



are larger between 170 E. and 180 thcun they are between l60 E. and 



o 

 170 E. 



Table 12. --Albacore size composition in December at 30 N. -40 N. , 

 160°E. -180°. Weights are in kan (k. ) = 8. 27 lbs. 



Note: Column headed "Mean" is weight in kan; "No. fish" is number 

 measured; last four columns are, left to right, ratio to 140 - 

 150 E. , ratio to October, ratio to November, and weight (in 

 kan) of fish at 160°-l60°E. 



48 



