Bel Culture, About 7,500 metric tons of eels were pro¬ 
duced annually chiefly in Shizuoka, Aichi and Mie prefectures. Shizuoka 
Prefecture iB reported to hare produced about 60 percent of the total and 
Aichi Prefecture about 25 percent. Although the industry was conducted 
mainly along bays (as in Shizuoka Prefecture), eels were also raised in 
ponds, reservoirs, lakes and swamps. In 1937 there were 1,370 eel-rearing 
farms with more than 1,400 hectares of ponds and eels were also raised 
at 131,000 places on swamps, and in reservoirs having a total area of 
1,900 hectares. Among the lakes producing eels were Lake Biwa, Lake 
Chusenji, Lake Towado and Lake Kasumigsura. 
Por this production young eels were secured either by catching 
them when they weighed about 20 grams along the ocean coast (particularly 
the Pacific coast of Kyushu) or by capturing them when they were very 
small (.13 to .2 grams) as they ascended rivers during the winter months. 
In the latter case the baby eels were reared in special ponds until they 
reached about 15 grams. Bels were fed raw sardines and silkworm crysalises. 
Other Fish Culture . Ayu, salmon, trout and grey mullet were 
among the other edible fish produced in considerable quantities by 
aquiculture. 
Ayu ( Plecoglossus altivelis) . a small fresh-water fish somewhat 
similar to the trout, is among the most prized fish for eating in the 
Orient. It is widely distributed in the rivers of Japan and in recent 
years has been cultivated. In 1938 there were more than a hundred 
commercial rearing ponds for this species. Young ayu, about 7 centimeters 
long and 3.8 grams in weight, were liberated into ponds in April and early 
- 75 - 
lft'031 P99 
