In addition to the societies of this type dealing with fisheries 
in home waters an act in 1902 provided for the establishment of suisan- 
kumiai in foreign waters. (There was hut one organization under this law — 
Aquatic Products Society of Russian Waters (Roryo Sui san-kumiai) which 
in 1935 was composed of 27 member bodies. 
Most sources make no Clear distinction between the type of functions 
or the requisite membership of the suisan-kai and suisan-kumiai. One 
source refers to the latter as "labor organizations" and states that 
members appear to be largely drawn from industrial fishermen employed 
by large companies, but another source refers to them as "trade guilds." 
The actual range of activities of both types of organizations appears to 
have been very wide and undoubtedly overlapped. Duplication of activities 
is suggested by the fact that sui san-kumiai declined as suisan-kai were 
formed following the law authorizing them in 1921. 94/ 
Fishermen's Societies (Gyogyo-kumlai ). These societies which were 
the chief organizations of the village fishermen numbered more than 4,000 
with a membership of more than 605,000 in 1937. These local societies 
were coordinated into federations (gyogyo kamiai rengokai) of which there 
were 89 in 1937 (Table 66). 
The fishermen's societies have origins which can be traced back 
to remote times, but were legally established by the Fishery Law of 1901 
for the purpose of acquiring fishery rights for member fishermen. 
Licenses for "exclusive right" fishing by law could only be granted to 
94/ In 1920 there were more than 220 aquatic products societies 
Tsui san-kumiai) tut in 1935 only 8E (Table 66). 
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