FISHERIES OF SIBERIA 43 



Fresh-water fish in far eastern rivers are homogeneous, excepting in 

 the Amur River, where 72 species are known, as compared with 50 

 in the Danube and 43 in the Ob Rivers. The most abundant species 

 is the carp. 



Up to the end of the ninteeenth century there were virtually no 

 regulations governing the fishing industry in the Russian far east, 

 and Japanese fishermen came to these waters in ever-increasing num- 

 bers and engaged in fishing on a large scale. In 1899, in order to 

 encourage fishing by Russians, foreigners were prohibited from fishing 

 in the Amur River and its firth, and Russian fishermen were not per- 

 mitted to hire foreign labor. The Russian fishing industry in these 

 waters was especially stimulated after the Russo-Japanese War, when 

 Russian fishermen were given certain privileges in the form of reduced 

 freight rates to Russia, easier credit facilities, etc. Shipments of fish 

 and fishery products to European Russia and foreign markets, ex- 

 cluding Japan, increased rapidly, thus freeing the Russian fishermen 

 from Japanese domination. 



As a result of the Russo-Japanese War a special fisheries convention 

 between Russia and Japan was concluded in 1907. Under the con- 

 vention Japanese nationals were accorded the same fishing rights as 

 were enjoyed by the Russians in the waters of the Russian far east, 

 with the exception of rivers and 34 bays and gulfs, where only Russian 

 nationals were permitted to engage in fishing. Nearness of home 

 markets, cheap, abundant, and experienced labor, a large merchant 

 marine affording cheap freight rates, plenty of capital and financing 

 facilities gave the Japanese many advantages over the Russians. 

 The latter experienced great trouble in procuring the necessary labor, 

 owing to the scarcity of the population in this region. This labor was 

 transient and inexperienced in fishing. The transportation facilities 

 afforded by the Russian volunteer fleet were inadequate in tonnage, 

 and few sailings were maintained during the fishing season, thus 

 entailing heavy overhead expense. Lack of salt (which had to be 

 imported from Japan, Port Said, or Germany) and inadequate bank- 

 ing and financing facilities contributed to the heavy handicap on 

 Russian fishermen, and as a consequence forced them to concentrate 

 their activities in so-called "unconventional waters," from which the 

 Japanese were excluded and where the Russians did not face the 

 severe Japanese competition. 



CATCH 



In 1910 the total catch of fish in Russian far eastern waters was 

 estimated at about 253,000,000 pounds, of which about 67,200,000 

 pounds were prepared for the Russian market and about 185,920,000 

 pounds for Japanese markets. The numbers of the most important 

 species caught were as follows: Salmon, 62,600,000 (44,700,000 in 

 unconventional waters — that is, waters reserved for Russian na- 

 tionals only — and 17,900,000 in conventional waters — that is, 

 waters open for Russians and Japanese alike), and herring, 43,500,000 

 (10,500,000 in unconventional waters and 33,000,000 in conventional 

 waters). In addition, species of minor importance were caught and 

 other fishery products prepared, of which salmon caviar was the most 

 important. The production of salmon caviar amounted to about 

 6,720,000 pounds, Nikolayevsk-on-Amur producing 4,704,000 pounds, 



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