proportion of the catch, but the percentage cannot be shown because no data are available. 

 BroadbiU are extremely scarce and there has been as yet no report of albacore. 



This sea area is of small extent and cannot accommodate a large numbe r of fishing 

 vessels at the same time. However, at some seasons it has rather high catch rates and prob- 

 ably can be said to be a good fishing ground. If it were possible to have a base in the Philippines 

 or in northeastern Borneo, the fishery would be even more profitable. There may be some 

 interference from the weather, but it is not of very great importance and if a base were available 

 in this region, it would be possible to operate with quite small fishing vessels. 



4. South China Sea 



This sea area is bounded by the continent and the islands of Borneo, Palawan, Luzon, 

 and Formosa. On the south it connects with the Sulu Sea and on the east through the Bashi Strait 

 with the Pacific Ocean. On the west it is connected with the Gulf of Siam. Along the Asiatic 

 mainland the so-called continental shelf is developed, but the central portion is deep and in the 

 southern portion there are reef areas. 



The pattern of the currents from July through September, when the southwest winds 

 are at their height, is as follows. In the western part of this area there is a current flowing from 

 the Java Sea region to the waters off Annam. This current, which is quite strong, divides into 

 two branches off Cochin China. One branch flows to the northeast along the northwest side of this 

 area, while the other flows in a circle clockwise. At the eastern side there is a current flowing 

 north along the island of Luzon, part of which flows into the Pacific through the Bashi Strait and 

 joins the Kuroshio, while another part flows north through the Fornnosa Strait. There is a weak 

 cold current along the continental coast, which submerges and flows to the south. 



o o _. 



From July to September water temperatures are about 28 C. to 29 C. at the 



surface, and about 26 C. at 50 meters. At the 100-meter level there is a conspicuous differ- 

 ence between the continental side and the portion east of the nniddle of the area. The side near 

 the continent has low temperatures of 1 1 C. to 17 C. with a wide range of variation. From the 

 middle of the area east, particularly along Luzon, tennper atures are high, with values of 22 C. 

 to 24 C. Water color for the most part is I to II on Forel's scale with consequent high trans- 

 parencies of about 30 to 38 meters. 



From January to March, when northeast winds predominate, the currents are roughly 

 opposite to the pattern for the southwest monsoon. There is a strong current flowing southward 

 along the continent, and it is said that throughout the area as a whole the circulation is in a 

 counterclockwise direction, but it appears to be rather complex. The current flowing north along 

 Luzon is weakened but continues in existence. 



Surface water temperatures are 25 C. to 26 C. over broad areas, but there are also 

 places with about 23 C. Temperatures at the 50-meter level are for the most part about 23 C, 

 with values of 1 7 C. to 18 C. at some localities. At the 100-meter level water temperatures 

 average about 19 C. , with the lowest temperature recorded being between 14 C. and 15 C. 

 In the general view the distribution of water temperatures is clearly high in the east ajid low in 

 the west, with generally high temperatures along the Luzon side and conspicuously lower 

 temperatures off the continent. A ve ry conspicuous zone of low water temperatures appears in 

 the central part of this sea area, with tennperatures 2 C. to 3 C. lower than the surrounding 

 waters. The extent and position of this cold water zone appear to vary with the season ajid from 

 year to year, but fishing is generally very poor within this zone, showing a trend completely 

 identical with that for the Sulu Sea. Transparencies also show a tendency to be high in the east 

 and low to the westward, the water color off Luzon being in most cases I to II on the Forel scale, 

 with transparencies of 30 to 40 meters being most connmon. On the continental side observa- 

 tions of water colors of II to III are most numerous, with transparencies in most cases of 20 to 

 30 meters. 



60 



