APPENDIX IV APPENDIX IV 
for use of their fishing grounds. Japan's main 
approach, however, will probably be through bi- 
lateral negotiations for rights to fish off of for- 
eign countries' waters, striving for large quotas 
basednonwpas = sleveihoricatehes. 
The recent U.S. legislation which established a 200- 
mile fishery conservation zone, beginning March 1, 1977, 
has gravely upset the Japanese Government. They perceived 
the U.S. position as favoring the multilateral approach at 
the Law of the Sea Conference. They considered the action 
as excessively severe, asserting that the restrictions 
imposed could seriously affect the country's food policy 
and the relations between the United States and Japan. 
Japan catches about 3,307 million pounds of fish, or 
one-seventh of its total catch in waters off the United 
States, almost all coming from the Bering Sea and Northeast 
Pacific Ocean. Alaskan pollock and bottomfish account for 
2,866 million pounds of their catch, with tanner crab, 
rockfish, blackcod and squid making up the rest. 
One possible method to reduce Japan's supply problems 
was shown by a recent commercial joint venture proposal, 
whereby U.S. fishermen would catch Alaskan pollock for 
delivery to Japanese processing vessels. NMFS analyzed the 
proposal finding no legal objection to the plan. NMFS also 
believed that such a venture could benefit the development 
Offa URS. bottomilsh andusitzy.: 
Depending heavily on the sea for a source of food, 
Japan advocates international cooperation for the conserva- 
tion of marine resources. Japan participates in 13 regional 
fisheries commissions for this purpose. In recent years, 
Japan has joined the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Convention 
(1970), the Atlantic Tuna Convention (1969), the Northwest 
Atlantic Fisheries Convention (1970), and the International 
Convention for the Southeast Atlantic Fisheries (1971). 
STRUCTURE OF THE FISHING FLEET 
Japan's marine fishing fleet of more than 372,000 
vessels consists of about 2.7 million gross registered tons. 
Although powered and nonpowered boats of less than 5 gross 
tons make up over 90 percent of the fleet, they account for 
only 20 percent of its gross weight. Larger vessels of 100 
tons and up, less than 1 percent of the fleet, account for 
over half of its gross weight. Recent changes in the fleet 
mainly involved the replacement of nonpowered vessels with 
powered ones in the less than 5 gross tons category. 
Stal 
