FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. on 
These goods were shipped to various Japanese ports. The im- 
portance of these ports as fish markets may be seen from the following 
figures which give the amount of fish landed during the period 1911- 
1913, in percentages of the grand total of imports: 
Ports. ® 1911 1912 1913 Ports. 1911 1912 1913 
Per cent.| Per cent. | Per cent. Per cent.| Per cent. | Per cent. 
.9 68. 4 KeatOal |e DSURUG A sie's.c.6 aetna" 3.6 eel 1.19 
10.6 10.1 OS. ||) AOMORI cance cease Vaal 1.4 . 59 
7.9 8.3 ioe || Othetse.-o. 8 5 enc. 1,2 1.4 1.04 
5.9 5.2 3. 29 os 
4.8 4.1 2.92 ~ 100 100 100 
JAPANESE FISHING STATIONS. 
The Japanese Advertiser of March 22, 1916, had the following in 
reference to Japanese fishing stations in the Russian far eastern 
waters: ; 
Owing to the increased demand for tinned fish as provisions of war, the attention 
of industrial circles has been directed to fishing enterprises. The fishing along the 
coast provinces of Asiatic Russia has been made the object of much interest and com- 
petition among the Japanese and Russians. Though various knotty problems that 
impaired the interest of the Japanese have recently been settled in their favor by the 
lenient attitude of the Russian authorities, the Japanese have now been hard hit by 
the increase of the lease rate for the fishing zone. According to the statement of Mr. 
Matsuzaki, Director of the Marine Industry Bureau, the tender for the present year 
for the lease of fishing zones in the coast provinces has resulted in the loss of 26 zones 
for the Japanese side from that of last year. The quotations have risen remarkably, 
evidently because of the ever-increasing demand for preserved fish. For instance, a 
zone for which the Imperial Marine Goods Co., obtained the lease last year at 6,660 
yen, has gone to a Russian concern at 21,000 yen. Another zone which a Japanese 
firm obtained at only 3,100 yen last year, has also gone to a Russian firm at 22,000 yen. 
The inability of the Japanese to bid higher may partly be ascribed to the shortage of 
ships and the rise in the charter rate, but the real reason is the Russian competition, 
caused by the prosperity in the trade in fish. 
The fishing enterprise in the coast provinces has formerly been practically monopo- 
lized by Japanese. But the recent development in fishing has attracted the attention 
of Russian business men, and they have obtained the financial help of foreign capi- 
talists interested and scored a success in the campaign. The fishing enterprise 
requires large and perfect tinning plants, but the Russians lack these plants, and it is 
easy to imagine that the foreign capitalists, having the plants at their disposal, have 
invested capital in backing the Russian fishermen. Mr. Matsuzaki has warned the 
Japanese fishing firms to beware of this new development. 
The following is a table showing the number of fishing zones leased to Japanese and 
‘Russians for this and last year and the amounts of the leases: 
Number of fishing zones. Amount of lease. 
\ Years. 
Japanese.) Russian.| Total. |Japanese.| Russian.| Total. 
Yen.a Yen. Yen. 
DOLD ae eel wisteeaimiawice seca 2 < asmeccuceeeue 231 34 265 | 702,244 | 143,118 845, 362 
BON Go eae oe sce atnachies ser nsmace un cce<cene 205 42 247 | 723,585 | 170,278 893, 863 
aA yen is equal to about $0.498, 
O 
