702 



U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



I 



size and general appearance it closely resembled a humpback salmon, 

 and when cut open the flesh had the same coloring observable in our 

 humpback. This species, and the true humpback found in more 

 northern waters, especially in Siberia, are dry salted in immense num- 

 bers and are generally marketed under the name of "white trout" or 

 "salmon trout." 



In Japan the "red trout" seem to be our rainbow and brook 

 trouts, which were introduced into Japanese waters some years ago. 

 The red salmon (0. nerka) is to be found landlocked in Lake Akan in ij 

 the northern part of the island. It is smaller in size than the sea jj 

 species. This species has been introduced into the waters of Honshu. 



The section of this report devoted to the salmon fisheries of Siberia 

 treats ciuite fully of the activities of the Japanese in that quarter. 



In Sakhalin, or Karafuto, as it is called in Japan, the Japanese 

 have had a rather checkered career. At one time this island belonged 

 to the Chinese Empire. Early in the nineteenth century the southern 

 portion w^as occupied by the Japanese. In 1875 she bartered it to 

 Russia in exchange for some small islands in the Kuril group. As 

 a result of the Russo-Japanese war the southern half, or aU that 

 portion south of 50° north latitude, was in 1905 ceded to Japan. 



The salmon fisheries of this island are of much importance. For 

 many years the Japanese had a virtual monopoly of them, but very 

 early in the present century the Russians attempted to restrict con- 

 siderably the activities of the Japanese fishermen, and encouraged 

 her own subjects to compete with them. Many hundreds of Rus- 

 sians and Koreans were encouraged to migrate to the island and 

 engage in its fisheries. Despite these handicaps, the operations of 

 the Japanese fishermen, according to the statistics shown below, do 

 not seem to have suffered. 



' Species not specified. 



' Koku equals about 5!.^ bushels. 



Considerable fishing is carried on around the island of Yetorofu, 

 one of the Kuril group. Here are found red {0. nerka), silver (0. 

 kisutch), and chum salmon (0. keta), also either the humpback or 

 Doctor Jordan's masu. 



CANNING INDUSTRY 



The salmon canning industry in Japan proper was inaugurated bj^ 

 the Hokushu Colonization Department, a local branch of the Federal 

 Government. For some time this department had operated a fishery 

 school on Hokushu Island, at which experimental work in the canning 

 of salmon and other fishery products was carried on. This estab- 

 lishment canned considerable salmon during the Russo-Japanese War. 



This same department also established a fishery school on Yetorofu 

 Island, one of the Kuril group, which was, in 1908, taken over by 

 Suhara Kakubei, a fisherman and graduate of the school, and used 

 as a salmon cannery. 



