204 The National Geographic Magazine 



Photo by Hugh M. Smith 



A Fishery Experiment Station in the Province of Tosa 



archipelago, the thousands of islands, 

 and the great length of the coast line (es- 

 timated at 20,000 miles) have brought 

 a large part of the population within 

 easy reach of the sea. To these is to 

 be added a wonderful variety of water 

 life, upwards of 1,000 species of fishes 

 being already known and other classes 

 being correspondingly well represented. 

 Furthermore, there is a remarkable 

 abundance of the most useful animals — 

 some fresh water or anadromous species, 

 some peculiar to the inshore waters, 

 others high-sea forms which come close 

 to the coast in immense numbers and are 

 perpetually renewed, water several thou- 

 sand fathoms deep being within a very 

 few miles of the main islands. 



THE GOVERNMENT FOSTERS THE 

 FISHERIES 



The attitude of the Imperial govern- 

 ment has had a powerful influence in 

 the growth of the fisheries. Since the 

 Restoration the control of the industry 

 has been vested largely in the central 

 government, by which everything has 



been done that the most enlightened 

 civilization could require to promote the 

 interests of the fishermen and insure the 

 prosperity of the fisheries. Long ago 

 the Imperial Fisheries Bureau was 

 organized, as a branch of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture and Commerce, 

 and is splendidly equipped and ably 

 administered by specialists in fish cult- 

 ure, biology, economic fisheries, and 

 fishery law. Its work is conducted on 

 broad modern lines, with great stress 

 laid on scientific investigation as the 

 basis for legislation and promotion. 

 With characteristic progressiveness, the 

 government has sent representatives to 

 America and Europe to study fisheries 

 and fish culture, and the best practices 

 of foreign lands have been adapted by 

 the Japanese to their own special re- 

 quirements. In each of the numerous 

 prefectures there is a department of 

 fisheries, and the local governments, not 

 less than the central government, ap- 

 preciate the value of experimental and 

 biological work in connection with the 

 fisheries, and have established many 



