FISHERIES OF SIBERIA 47 



from Kamchatka waters, particularly from the waters of the western 

 shore. These returns also indicate that the salmons are the pre- 

 dominant species in Russian far eastern waters, representing over 90 

 per cent of all catches. Herring were a poor second, constituting 

 from 3.5 to 8 per cent of the total catch and revealing a tendency 

 toward a gradual though slow increase. The southwestern district 

 accounted for nearly all herring caught in far eastern waters (81 to 98 

 per cent of the total catch of this species) . In other districts salmon 

 is supreme, catches of other species amounting to only fractions of 

 1 per cent. 



Among the various species of salmon caught, keta or chum occupied 

 first place before the war, representing 72 per cent of the total salmon 

 catch. Lately this species has been replaced by the humpback, 

 constituting around 60 per cent. Catches of red salmon also are 

 tending to increase gradually — from 3.6 to 6.7 and 10 per cent. 

 Catches of silver salmon represented from 1 to 2 per cent, and those 

 of king salmon only a small fraction of 1 per cent. Keta or chum still 

 dominates in the less important Nikolayevsk-on-Amur, Okhotsk, and 

 eastern Kamchatka districts, while in the most important waters — 

 the eastern shore of Kamchatka — humpback supplies the largest 

 amount of fish, as well as in the southwestern district. Catches of 

 red salmon are of importance only in Kamchatka waters, where along 

 the eastern shores the major part of silver salmon is caught. 



SOUTHWESTERN DISTRICT 



The southwestern district is bordered by the Sea of Japan with a 

 coast line 1,300 miles long, extending from Korea in the south up to 

 the estuary of the Amur River in the north. Within this district are 

 seven bays, where fishing, in accordance with the terms of the Russo- 

 Japanese fisheries convention of 1909, is permitted to Russian na- 

 tionals only. The most important of these are Peter the Great, Im- 

 perial, Port Vanin, and Possiet Bays. The principal species of fish 

 in these waters is the herring (Clupea pallasi\ C. and V.), followed by 

 salmon (humpback or "gorbusha") and dog s'almon or "keta," which 

 finds a good market in Vladivostok. Of secondary importance are 

 the catches of trepang (Stichopus japonicus, Selenka) , shrimp, oysters, 

 crabs (Paralithodes camchatica ?), sea kelp (Laminaria sp.), and 

 mussels (Mytilus). 



The northern portion of this district, between the estuary of the 

 Amur River and Cape Lazarev, is dominated by the Japanese, who 

 prepare fertilizer from herring. The southern portion — Peter the 

 Great and Possiet Bays — is confined to Russian fishermen, who 

 recently introduced steam trawlers there and fished in this region 

 throughout the year, selling their catch in Vladivostok, shipping it 

 to the interior via the Trans-Siberian Railway^ as well as exporting it 

 to Korea, China, and Japan. 



The most developed fisheries are on Peter the Great Bay (Vladi- 

 vostok region) , where the species are varied and fishing is carried on 

 throughout the year. The most important fishery there is for herring. 

 The catch of herring by commercial fishermen, in number, number 



