Until the advent of motorized vessels j operations were conducted 

 mainly in coastal waters for skipjack and other tunas, such as the 

 black tuna^ yellowfin tuna^ and the albacoreo Production increased 

 sharply after World War I, but it was not umtil after 1925 (when 

 Japan exported its first shipment of frozen albacore) that the in- 

 dustry assumed a position wherein it supplied both local and foreign 

 markets <, Although the major catch during the late 1920 «s and the dec- 

 ade following continued to come fromi Japanese coastal and nearby off- 

 shore waters J the fisheries were expanded to overseas areas. Important 

 tuna grounds were developed in the mid-Pacific (near Midway Island), 

 where albacore and the big-eyed tuna are talcen, and in the southwest 

 Pacific, where the yellowfin tuna is the important commercial species » 



Japan's catch of skipjack j, other tunas, and tunalike fishes, 

 rose from about 135,000,000 pounds in 1908 to 290,830,680 pounds in 

 I93O0 Production, stiinulated by the increasing mechanization of ves- 

 sels, the increased local demand for tuna, and the development of 

 foreign markets for frozen or canned tuna, increased to A46,369sl75 

 pounds in 1940 » The skipjack continued to be the most important 

 species, mainly because of the large local demand for the processed 

 skipjack stick Katsuobushi ; the catch of skipjack during the 1930 's 

 was between 60 percent and 70 percent of total tuna and tunalike 

 landings o Other tuna species, such as the black tuna, the big-eyed 

 tunac, and yellowfin were also taken in increasing amounts, mainly 

 for local consumiption as raw tuna= Albacore, not well liked by the 

 Japanese, was the main species taken for the export market « During 

 World War II catches declined sharply, especially from offshore waters. 

 Immediately after 1945, however, tuna fishing was resiimed in the coast- 

 al and offshore waters authorized for fishing by the Supreme Commander 

 for the Allied Powers (SCAP) o 



After World War II the tuna fisheries afforded Japan an oppor- 

 tunity to accumulate foreign credits. Important salmon and crab 

 fishing grounds were lost, but the fishing areas authorized by SCAP 

 were capable of producing 90 percent of the annual prewar Japanese 

 tuna catcho The postwar Japanese tuna fleet was restored rapidly, 

 not only through the efforts of tuna operators to enter a lucrative 

 trade but through official support by the Japanese Government and the 

 occupation authorities » By 1947, when 1,314 tuna vessels (totaling 

 78,517 gross tons) were operated, the fleet was larger than that 

 operated before the war. In 1951 the tuna fleet consisted of 1,698 

 vessels (totaling 103,978 gross tons), compared with 1,038 vessels 

 (totaling 52,665 gross tons) in I94O0 Individual vessel tonnage of 



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