AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY. 



fresli product of this fish is separated from the shell, cooked, 

 slightly smoked and dried, and then sent to the Chinese market. 



iNext comes the squid. The squid, which has its run in the 

 fall, lives in big schools and is caught with the jig. It is split 

 open, pressed and dried, and sent over to China. 



Another product of the sea I would like to mention is the 

 k(5mhu. The kombu is a kind of algae belonging to the species 

 of Lainiiiaria. Thev occur in great abundance all along the 

 coast, but the best kind is obtained on the northeastern ccjast, 

 where the cold current comes down from the ncuih. They are 

 taken fr(jm the rock upon which they grow by the use of tiie 

 wooden hook; thev are then dried on the sandy beach, made into 

 bundles and exported to China. 



Now, let me say a few words in reference to the fishermen on 

 the island. They are divided into three classes: Fii-st, outfitters; 

 second, fisherv prof)rietors; and third, employees. Outfitters are 

 those who furnish the fishing gears, or capital or food supply to 

 the fishermen who cannot fit out for themselves; the fishery pro- 

 prietors are those who own the fishing vessels, fish houses and 

 all fishing gears, and the employees are those employed by the 

 fishery proprietors for the prosecution of the fisheries. Some 

 of the fishing is done on shares, like the cod fishery of this 

 country, while others are part in shares and part in wages, and 

 in some cases certain parts of the entire catch are given to the 

 gang of employees, besides regular wages. 



The fishermen of my country are a most open-hearted and 

 frank set of people, and are sometimes superstitious. Among 

 the fishery proprietors there are a great many well educated, in- 

 telligent and progressive men. They have formed associations 

 there for the purpose of preventing the manufacture of inferior 

 articles and to adjust any disputes arising between fishermen. 

 They have a fishery societv there under the name oi Hokusui 

 Kyokwai, for the i)romotion and improvement of the fisheries 

 They publish monthly reports and distril)ute among the fisher- 

 men important and useful information in regard to the fisheries. 

 Tliev alscj publish the translated account of valuable informa- 

 tion from this country. 1 think it will be of some iiUerest to you 

 to know that a recent number of a ^)ublication which I have 



