72 



COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 



Vol. 28, No. 7 



Japan (Contd.): 



predict an unfavorable season this year, with 

 the season's landings possibly 30,000 metric 

 tons or less, compared to about 45,000 tons 

 landed last year. 



In spite of this unfavorable supply outlook 

 but because of the appearance of unusually 

 small fish, Japanese albacore export prices 

 fell rapidly in April with buy offers for ship- 

 frozen (long-line -caught) round albacore com- 

 ing in at around US$400-410 a short tonf.o.b. 

 The somewhat unusual catches of small alba- 

 core (averaging about 15 pounds with a large 

 number of 10-lb. fish) taken by pole-and-line 

 gear off northeastern Japan were being ex- 

 ported at about $330 a short ton f.o.b., sub- 

 stantially below the ship-frozen catches due 

 to their 20-25 percent lower recovery rate. 

 Pole-caught albacore in early April were sold 

 ex-vessel at 120-130 yen a kilogram (US$302- 

 328 a short ton). It was anticipated that, if 

 the downward price trend continues, the sum- 

 mer albacore price may range around $360- 

 370 a short ton f.o.b. (about 10 percent below 

 the price for long-line catches). 



To cope with the declining albacore ex- 

 port price, the Japan Frozen Tuna Producers 

 Association, at a meeting held April 15, dis- 

 cussed the need for industry to cooperate in 

 holding at a high level the price for the pole- 

 caught summer albacore and to possibly a- 

 void exporting the early season pole-caught 

 albacore, since its lower recovery and low 

 ex-vessel price were believed to be contri- 

 buting to the decline in albacore prices. ( Sui- 

 san Tsushin , April 5, 13, 18, 1966.) 



* * * 4: * 



SUMMER POLE-AND-LINE 



ALBACORE FISHERY REPORTED SLOW: 



The Japanese summer pole-and-line tuna 

 fishery as of May 7, 1966, was very slow. 

 Fishing usually begins picking up in late A- 

 pril and early May and the slowness was at- 

 tributed by many to the temperature of the 

 surface water layer, which was too cold. 



If the summer pole-and-line fishery does 

 not pick up, this may tend to drive up the 

 price of ship-frozen long- line -caught alba- 

 core. Further, in view of the decline in the 

 number of Japanese tuna vessels in the At- 

 lantic Ocean, some Japanese circles feel that 

 the combination of these developments may 

 serve to bring about a sharp upswing in the 



albacore price. (Earlier press reports in- 

 dicated Atlantic fleet expected to decline to 

 about 60 vessels during May-July 1966. In 

 March the fleet totaled 74 as compared to 

 155 vessels in March 1965.) However, as of 

 early May, United States packers were re- 

 ported still showing little interest in buying 

 Japanese tuna. ( Suisan Tsushin. May 7, 1966.) 



^ Jp ^ 5JC ^ 



FISH LANDINGS IN YAIZU: 



March 1966: Fish landings at the Japanese 

 fishing port of Yaizu (principal tuna port) to- 

 taled 17,818 metric tons valued at 2,442.2 

 million yen (US$6.8 million), according to 

 data compiled by the Yaizu Fishery Coopera- 

 tive Association. This was an increase of 

 4,398 tons and 1,019.9 million yen ($2.8 mil- 

 lion) over the same period in 1964. ( Kan - 

 zume Nippo , April 7, 1966.) 



Yaizu Fish Landings, March 1966 with Comparisons | 



Species 



M a r 



c h 



1966 1 1965 



1966 1 1965 



Quantity 



Avq. Value 



Puna: 

 Bluefin 



. . (Metric Ton) . . 



6,949 5,691 

 1,482 930 

 6,538 3,456 

 2,131 2,642 

 718 701 



($/ShortTon) 



486 393 

 431 307 

 257 176 

 108 104 



Albacore 



Skipjack 



Mackerel 



Other fish 



Total 



17,818 



13,420 



- 



- 1 



April 1966: Landings of fish at the Japanese 

 port of Yaizu totaled 20,197 metric tons val- 

 ued at 2,288 million yen (US$6.4 million) as 

 compared to March landings of 17,818 metric 

 tons valued at 2,442 million yen ($6.8 mil- 

 lion), according to data compiled by the Yaizu 

 Fishermen's Cooperative Association. Alba- 

 core landings showed a sharp decline but 

 landings of both skipjack and mackerel showed 

 significant increases. Skipjack landings were 

 double those of April 1965. A large portion 



Table 1 - 



Yaizu Fish Landings and Average Values, 

 April 1966 with Comparisons 



Species 



Quantity 



Average Value 



1966 



1965 



1966 



1965 



April 1 March 



April 



April 1 March 



April 



Tuna: 





. .(M 



etric Tc 



>ns) . . 



.(usa 



521 



376 



265 



88 



,/Short 



486 

 431 

 257 

 108 



Ton) . 



390 

 314 

 274 

 102 



Bluefin 1/ . 



Albacore . 



Skipjack . . 

 Mackerel . . 

 Other fish . . 



6,373 

 2.647 

 5.293 

 5.234 

 650 



6,949 

 1,482 

 6,538 

 2,131 

 718 



7,011 

 4.684 

 2,646 

 3.711 

 665 



Total 



20,197 



17,818 



18,717 



_ 



_ 



- 



iyinclude£ yellowfin 



asdl 



ig-eyed tuna. 1 



