348 



Part HI. — Thirteenth Anmial lie fort. 



of boats at 377,043, valued at 9,660,740 yen. It would appear, however, 

 that the former figure includes all [those who derive a livelihood from the 

 fisheries. The total value of the fish, shell -fish, algae and marine products 

 landed in 1891 amounted to 27,567,257 yen'm addition to 1,464,549 yen 

 yielded by the freshwater fisheries. The chief kinds and their values are 

 as follows: — Herring, 434,956,224 kin* worth 5,080,107 yen ; sardines, 

 415,301,495 kin, valued at 2,177,354 yen; bonito 60,908,588 kin, 

 valued at 1,481,549 yen ; salmon 47,715,477 kin, of the value of 848, 

 292 yen ; tunny, 24,169,805 kin, worth 755,898 yen; mackerel, 

 35,681,998 kin, valued at 444,063 yen; oysters, 19,998,243 kin, valued 

 at 71,202 yen, and lobsters, 80,993,745 kin of the value of 577,908 yen. 

 Large quantities of fish are cured. 



The Japanese department carry on scientific investigations in connection 

 with their fisheries, and have recently begun an inquiry into the influence 

 of trawl-fishing, much in the same manner as in Scotlnnd ; they are also 

 investigating the natural history of the Awabi (Haliotis gigantea) and of 

 an echinoderm, Stichopus japonicus, one of the important fishery products 

 of Japan. Researches are also being conducted as to the spawning and 

 spawning periods of the important food-fishes and molluscs, the food upon 

 which they subsist, and the biological minimal sizes. The fishermen are 

 also taught 'some foreign modes of fishing which are new to them,' and 

 by the agency of local fishery associations papers dealing with fishery 

 questions in foreign countries are translated and distributed. 



* One kin is equal to 1^ lbs. 



