Gear is ordinarily counted in terms of baskets or of skates. For.nerly each section 

 of line was put away separately in a basket, but these are hardly used at all at present because of 

 their bulk. The unit of gear is a hold-over from this former practice. 



The length of the main line of one basket is subject to various changes, but those in 

 use at present are generally of about 300 meters. To this usually one float line is attached. 

 The float line's length is not fixed but can be suitably adjusted depending on the fishing ground. 

 The branch lines in common use at present have a cotton part of about 15 meters, and sekiyar.-ia 

 and wire leaders of 3 to 5 meters each. This, however, is not invariable but differs with 

 oceanographic conditions and the species of fish that is sought. A particularly mar.-ed e.xample 

 of variation is found in the gear used for black tuna in Miyazaki Prefecture, in ■.'.hich each basket 

 has only one branch line, a rather long one. In gear designed to take spearfishes and albacore 

 generally the branch lines are short and numerous, there sometimes being more than 10 branch 

 lines in one basket. In recent years, hov/ever, even albacore lines show a trend toward longer 

 branch lines and a smaller number per basket. The reasons are thought to be related both to the 

 supply of material and to catch rates. 



The number of units of gear employed at one time varies with the size of the vessel, 

 in recent years it has increased rapidly so that the large boats are actually using 300 to 330 

 baskets. Assuming that each basket has 5 hooks, the number of hooks fished each time ranges 

 from 1,500 to 1,750. If the length of the main line is, for example, 300 meters, the total length 

 of the gear will be 90 to 100 kilometers. In actuality the main lines are not stretched taut but 

 sag about 60 percent. The use of such large quantities of gear is principally for the purpose of 

 increasing the catch per day, but it can also be thought to increase the chance of the line's en- 

 countering schools of fish. However, as considerable strain is put on the material, this cannot 

 help shortening the life of the line. 



If the scale of operations outlined above is compared with the trolling and pole and 

 line fishe ries, it should be clear that the longline fishery is in quite a different category as far 

 as the size of the undertaking is concerned. 



Both large and small vessels are engaged in this fishery. Before the war vessels in 

 the 200-ton class were being constructed. Sincethe war there are some boats in the 200-ton 

 class, but the majority of them have followed the standards for the 45, 75, 90, and 135-ton 

 classes. The present fleet numbers 1,236 boats, with a total tonnage of 1 1 , 260. 26 tons and 

 total horsepower of 192,233.6. The following table gives a breakdown. 



This fishery has grown up in very close association with the skipjack pole and line 

 fishery. In the past the boats engaged in the skipjack fishery during the summer have shifted to 

 this fishery during the winter, however, in recent years there has been a tendency for the 

 number of fishing boats specializing in this fishery to increase and about 25 percent of the boats 

 listed above are full-time tuna longliners. 



As the large vessels ordinarily require 60 days or longer per voyage, they can make 

 about 4-1/2 to 5 cruises per year. Hitherto the catch has generally been preserved by means of 

 ice, but recently there has been a tendency toward a gradual increase in the number of vessels 

 equipped with refrigeration machinery. 



Having completed the loading of provisions, drinking water, fuel, fishing gear, bait, 

 and ice, and with ail preparations connplete, the vessel leaves its base and heads for the fishing 

 grounds. As soon as it arrives on the scheduled grounds, the work commences. 



11 



