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 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 
 
 BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
 
 HUGH M. SMITH, Commissioner 
 
 FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT 
 OF SIBERIA 
 
 By John K. Caldwell 
 
 American Consul at Vladivostok,, Siberia 
 
 APPENDIX VI TO THE REPORT OF THE U. S. COMMISSIONER 
 OF FISHERIES FOR 1916 
 
 Bureau of Fisheries Document No. 844 
 
 PRICE, 5 CENTS 
 
 Sold only by the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Oftice 
 Washington, D. C. 
 
 WASHINGTON 
 
 GOVE2NM2NT PRINTING OFFICE 
 
 1917 
 
 . ^-^' i^ 
 
 Ponograph 
 
D, of D, 
 JUN 29 1917 
 
 
-^ 
 
 «4^ 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 Page. 
 
 Introduction 5 
 
 Transportation difficulties 6 
 
 Comparative cost of outfitting Russian and Japanese fishing stations 8 
 
 Regulations governing fisheries 10 
 
 The fishing industry in 1913 12 
 
 Nikolaievsk district J 2 
 
 SakhaUn district 16 
 
 Okhotsk-Kamchatka district 17 
 
 Southwestern district 24 
 
 Amur River 26 
 
 . Simiraary of catch in 1913 29 
 
 Japanese interest in Russian fisheries 30 
 
 Exports from Russian far eastern waters to Japan 30 
 
 Japanese fishing stations 31 
 
 3 
 
FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA/ 
 
 By John- K. Caldwell. American Consul (it Vladivostok, Siberia. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Fishing is probably the most iin})ortaiit inchistry in the Russian Far 
 East. It is the only industry in the <Hstrict which not only attempts 
 to supply the local market but exports to the European Russian and 
 foreign markets. 
 
 The fishing industry is entirely under the control of the Russian 
 Government and is a State property, with the exception of a few 
 fishing stations belonging to the city of Nikolaievsk on the Amur, 
 which are run by the municipality of that city, and also a few places 
 on the seacoast and in the rivers, donated to local tribes of abo- 
 rigines. 
 
 In the Maritime, Kamchatka, and Amur Provinces fishing is 
 controlled by the Khabarovsk office of the Department of Domains. 
 Administratively the waters are divided into two classes: (1) Waters 
 allotted exclusively to Russian subjects, and (2) waters open to 
 Japanese fishermen by virtue of the Russo-Japanese Fishing Conven- 
 tion of 1907. The first class comprises rivers and their estuaries, lakes, 
 gulfs, bays, and harbors; the waters opened to foreign fishing com- 
 prise chiefly open seacoasts. Up to the present no foreigners other 
 than Japanese have made any attempt to obtain such fishing rights. 
 . Very little is known as yet as to the value of the fishing places, for 
 practically no study has been made of the Priamur waters. The 
 works of Braginoff and Soldatoff, ichthyologists attached to the 
 Khabarovsk office of the Department of Domains, merely pave the 
 way for a more extensive study. Some practical knowledge of the 
 value of certain fishing places exists, undoubtedly, among private 
 fishermen, principally Japanese, but it is not general knowledge. 
 Therefore the Department of Domains has no way of exploiting vari- 
 ous fishing stations other than by allotting them to the highest l)idder 
 at public sale, and even then being very careful to allot them first for 
 a very short period — from one to three years. After a strict watch 
 
 a The investigation on whicti this report is based was requested by the Bureau of Fisheries. It is now 
 published because of tlie value of the information to American fishing interests, particularly those of the 
 Pacific coast. ' 
 
 5 
 
6 FISHING IX THE PRIAM QR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 
 
 of the amount of the catch, some idea of the value of the station is 
 formed and it is allotted for a longer period — five years or more. 
 
 Naturally under such circumstances this industry can not attain 
 proper development. The fishermen are not better informed than 
 the Government as to the value of the stations sought at the public 
 tenders; often they over or under value them, and owing to their 
 limited knowledge, either overstock the stations with men, salt, bar- 
 rels, provisions, etc., and through a small catch suffer heavy losses or 
 insufficiently supply the stations and, therefore, are unable to take 
 advantage of a good run of fish. On the other hand, the short terms 
 of the contracts make it impossible to equip the stations properly. 
 Lack of equipment for preparing the fish, except in the crudest way, 
 has resulted until very recent times in inferior products at most of the 
 stations, but some of the Russian fishing stations in Kamchatka 
 are exceptions. In order to encourage the Russian fishing in Kam- 
 chatka and Tchukotski peninsular waters and in the Okhotsk Sea, and 
 to counterbalance the Japanese predominance in these waters, in 1913 
 the head administration of the Agricultural and Land Organization 
 gave to Denbigh & Biritch on a long lease a fishing station on the 
 Kamchatka River (eastern shore of Kamchatka), and to S. Gru- 
 shetsky & Co., one on the Bolshaya River (western shore of Kam- 
 chatka). In addition to the usual conditions of the lease (payment 
 of royalty, the prohibition of foreign labor, etc.), each of these 
 firms was to build a fish hatchery in the vicinity of its station, the 
 capacity of which was to be 3,000,000 salmon per annum. Each of 
 the above lessees was to release 500,000 fish in 1914, 1,000,000 in 1915, 
 and 3,000,000 yearly from 1916 until the expiration of its lease. 
 Owing to teclmical difficulties, the release of the first lot of fish was 
 postponed until 1915. 
 
 By a normal development of this condition, which may become a 
 law, each commercial fisherman will be compelled to release a much 
 larger number of yoving fish than his catch. The larger interests will 
 have their own hatcheries, where doubtless the smaller ones can buy^ 
 their quota. 
 
 TRANSPORTATION DIFFICULTIES. 
 
 The closing of the coasting trade to foreigners deprived the fisher- 
 men of the possibility of makmg use of the cheap freight rates of 
 foreign steamers, and has made them entirely dependent upon the 
 Volunteer Fleet, which has a monopoly as a public carrier. 
 
 The Volunteer Fleet is complying strictly with all the obligations 
 imposed by the terms of its contract with the Government. It is 
 making the stipulated number of voyages with the stipulated number 
 of vessels, but as a matter of fact the number of steamers is not 
 
FISHING IN THE FRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 7 
 
 sufficient for the trade. According to section 3 of the contract, the 
 Volunteer Fleet is obliged to put on the line not less than four steam- 
 ers having a carrying capacity of not less than 1,000 tons each and 
 adapted for northern navigation. Each steamer must have accom- 
 modations for not less than 20 cabm and 100 deck passengers, and 
 regardless of the fact that the number of steamers has doubled, it is 
 not sufficient for the entire satisfaction of the fisliermen's needs, 
 thereby causmg heavy losses. 
 
 On account of the limited number of vessels, the Volunteer Fleet 
 is forced 'to make long round trips to distant points with calls at 
 man}^ side ports. When leaving Vladivostok the vessels take on 
 sufficient coal and water for the round trip. This occupies two- 
 thirds of the carrying capacity and leaves very little space for cargo. 
 These long trips force the greater number of the fishermen to ship men 
 and provisions one and one-half months before they are required, 
 and to hold their product a month after the catch is over. Owing 
 to the long time that goods are on the w^ay, the fishermen are obliged 
 to salt their products very heavily, which tends to lower their price 
 on the Russian market. Consequently, the fishermen are obliged 
 to depend on the Japanese market. The high charges of the Volun- 
 teer Fleet for loading and discharging, and charges for c. o. d. dehv- 
 ery (2 per cent), add 14 to 15 cents per pood of 36.1128 pounds to the 
 cost of fish products from Kamchatka. It is claimed that so long 
 as the Volunteer Fleet continues to be the only steamship company 
 serving the fishing industry, there is not much hope of a healthy and 
 normal development of the fisheries. Also, the element of risk 
 to the average fisherman is so great and so hard to calculate, that 
 the fishmg industry, which in Japan represents a safe commercial 
 undertaking, in Russia becomes a game of chance. 
 
 Under present conditions the fishermen are subjected to the 
 'following risks: (1) Late arrival at the stations with men and pro- 
 visions; (2) inability to ship prepared products; (3) enforced pay of 
 workmen for overtime spent at the stations; (4) impossibility of 
 obtaining additional salt and barrels if the catch is excessive, and of 
 replacing men in case of strikes, for most of the stations are visited 
 by steamers only twice each season. 
 
 From the time the fisherman arrives at the station, until his de- 
 parture, he is without communication with the outside world. 
 Although a telegraph line was built over a year ago along the 
 shores of Kamchatka, it is not in operation owing to the lack of 
 operators and other difficulties. 
 
8 FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 
 
 COMPARATIVE COST OF OUTFITTING RUSSIAN AND JAPANESE 
 
 FISHING STATIONS. 
 
 In order to emphasize the unfavorable conditions under which the 
 Russian fishermen have to compete with the Japanese, the Chamber 
 of Commerce committee gives comparative tables showing the cost 
 of equipping an average Russian fishing station, catching about 
 60,000 fish and employing 30 men, and a Japanese sea-coast station 
 of similar size. 
 
 RUSSIAN STATIONS IN KAMCHATKA. 
 
 30 men for 5 months, at $20 per month |3, 000. 00 
 
 Return passage for them at $8.75 per man 262. 50 
 
 Freight on 35 tons of provisions and equipment 200. 00 
 
 Freight on 1,800 sacks salt (90 tons) 405. 00 
 
 Freight on 155 tons prepared fish 1, 284. 50 
 
 Royalty on 155 tons 229. 50 
 
 Land rental 37. 00 
 
 Commission expenses 313. 00 
 
 1,800 sacks of salt at 65 cents 1, 170. 00 
 
 Nets 350. 00 
 
 Boats 50. 00 
 
 Dories (native type) 300. 00 
 
 Incidentals 100. 00 
 
 Total 7, 701. 50 
 
 It must be mentioned that there are very few experienced work- 
 men, salters and caviar makers. Those who have had experience 
 during past years have settled along the coast and have their own 
 undertakings; therefore the fishermen are obliged to hire unreliable 
 men. There are no fishery schools in the country, and the lack 
 of instructors and good foremen is felt more and more each year. 
 
 The absence of credit institutions, which would make loans on 
 fish, and the high rate of interest charged by private banks are also 
 felt very much. 
 
 The Russians have no fishing fleet, but the Japanese possess a 
 large deep-water fleet. According to the figures for 1910, there 
 were 7,302 Japanese fishing sailboats, 49 fishing steamers, and 396 
 large fishing boats of European type, in addition to a large number 
 of commercial vessels, which gave the Japanese a choice of vessels 
 for the transportation of their products. Moreover, competition 
 has kept freight rates low. Several small fishermen could charter 
 a steamer on joint account, and in order to evade the rule prohibiting 
 foreign steamers from navigating between stations, several stations 
 could be rented in the name of one man and later subleased to the 
 real owners. 
 
FISHING IX THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 9 
 
 In 1913 a Jajianeso stoainer of 1,500 tons, havinfj; a s])oo(l of 
 knots, consuming from 15 to 20 tons of coal a day, could bo chartered 
 for about $100 a day. The chartering of such a steamer for 30 days, 
 taking 20 (hiys for the return trip flTakodato-Kamchatka) and 10 
 lay days, would have cost: 
 
 Voyage, 30 days, at $100 $3, 000 
 
 Coal, 20 days' steaming, 400 tons, at $3 per ton 1, 200 
 
 Coal, 10 lay days, 100 tons, at $3 per ton 300 
 
 Other expenses, maximum figures 250 
 
 Total •. 4, 750 
 
 Such a steamer would carry about 1 ,500 tons of cargo per voyage, 
 and therefore the freight would be only about $3.17 per ton. 
 
 If the steamer was chartered on the basis that it pays aU expenses, 
 the cost in 1911 would have been: 
 
 Charter cost per day. 
 
 500 tons 188 to $100 
 
 2,000 tons 138 to 150 
 
 2,330 tons 160 
 
 This would have been the cost when chartered by the day, but a 
 monthly charter would have been at least 10 per cent less; a charter 
 for the whole season, especially if made early — say, in March — 
 might have been had at as. much as a 30 per cent reduction. 
 
 In this way the cost of transporting fish from Kamchatka to 
 Japan was one-third less than to Vladivostok. The cost of trans- 
 porting workmen from Hakodate to Kamchatka was about $1.50 
 per man, one-fourth of what it cost for Russian workmen from 
 Vladivostok. Tlie same difference will be observed in regard to the 
 cost of workmen. A Japanese workman costs a little over $50 per 
 season, viz: Wages, $25; food, etc., $19.50; and commission on 
 catch, $8.50. Also, there is never a shortage of men in Japan. 
 
 The cost of a Japanese fishing station would be: 
 
 Wages for season, 30 men, at $25 per season §750. 00 
 
 Commission on catch 250. 00 
 
 Chartering schooner 5 months, at $250 per month 1, 250. 00 
 
 Food for 30 men, at $19.50 each per season 585. 00 
 
 Passports, $1.75 each for 30 men 52. 50 
 
 Rent of fishing station 500. 00 
 
 Nets and dories (same as Russian) 800. 00 
 
 1,800 sacks of salt, at 65 cents per sack ' 1, 170. 00 
 
 Total ., 5, 357. 50 
 
 83689—17 2 
 
10 
 
 FISHING IN THE PEIAMUE DISTEICT OF SIBEEIA. 
 
 Herewith is given a comparison of the working conditions of 
 Russian and Japanese fishermen in Kamchatka: 
 
 Russian Fishery. 
 
 1. The Russian fishing fleet is repre- 
 sented by 4 motor schooners and 3 
 steamers. 
 
 2. No Russian steamers are open for 
 charter, and in the present state of the 
 local industry even a subsidized purchase 
 of steamers is not profitable. 
 
 3. Russian fishermen are bound by the 
 schedule of the Vohmteer Fleet, are un- 
 able to increase their stock of provisions, 
 etc., at will, and at times run the risk of 
 not arriving in time or not being able to 
 ship the prepared product. 
 
 4. Delivery of fish cargoes, including 
 discharging expenses, costs $8.40 to 
 $10.50 a ton. 
 
 5. Transporting workmen from Vladi- 
 vostok and return costs $8.65 each. 
 
 6. Wages per season for workmen (5 
 months) amount to about $100 per man. 
 
 7. Equipping and running a station to 
 catch 60,000 fish costs about $7,701.50. 
 
 8. Delivery of product to Vladivostok 
 costs about $8.40 per ton. 
 
 Japanese Fishery. 
 
 1. The Japanese fishing fleet has 7,302 
 sailing vessels, Japanese type, 396 foreign 
 type, and 49 steamers. 
 
 2. There are a great number of vessels 
 in Japan, and the strong competition 
 makes it easy to charter them on time or 
 for the season. 
 
 3. Having a schooner or steamer at his 
 disposal, the Japanese fisherman is 
 always able to communicate with Hako- 
 date, and runs no risk of not ha^dng his 
 goods transported . 
 
 4. The dehvery of all cargo costs the 
 Japanese not over $3 a ton. 
 
 5. Transporting Japanese workmen 
 costs $3 each . 
 
 6. Wages per season for workmen are 
 about $33.50 per man. 
 
 7. Outfitting and running a station to 
 catch 60,000 fish costs about $5,357.50. 
 
 8. Delivery of product to Hakodate 
 does not cost more than $3 per ton. 
 
 REGULATIONS GOVERNING FISHERIES. 
 
 The method of leasing fishing stations for exploitation, as well as 
 the regulations for exploiting, vary according to the local conditions. 
 
 On the Amur River, within the limits of the Nikolaievsk, Mariinsk, 
 and Khabarovsk districts, fishing stations are leased at public 
 tender, written or oral. The placing of outfits for catching sturgeon 
 only is permitted, except during the closed period, from the time the 
 ice on the river breaks up to June 15-28, upon payment of a special 
 ticket tax. For this purpose the supervisors of the districts make up 
 a list of applicants for each district, and present it for ratification to 
 the Priamur Department of Domains, after which public tenders 
 are held in each district at the place of residence of the supervisor. 
 Some of the stations are leased for long terms and some for one year. 
 
 No foreign workmen are allowed at the stations located on the 
 Amur River. In the estuary of the Amur River foreign subjects are 
 allowed to prepare the fish only, but not to catch them; the latter is 
 to be done exclusively by Russian subjects. Fishing is carried on 
 only by means of "zaezdka," a special kind of hedge made of poles 
 with a trap arrangement at the end, or by means of throw nets. 
 
FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 11 
 
 Arraii<i;om(Mits with hooks aro permitted for catchinjz; sturfjeon. The 
 length of the net and hedge is estabhshed for each station and (.le])(Mids 
 upon the width of the river. M\ other con(htions are <»f a secondary 
 nature. 
 
 The right to fish along the seaeoast of the whole Kussian Far East 
 is open to Japanese subjects on an equal basis with Russians, by 
 virtue of the Russo-Japanese Convention of 1907. w'hich was con- 
 cluded for a term of 12 years; the stations applied for, after being 
 ratified by the Priamur Department of Domains, are sold at public 
 tender, usually during February and March. The convention ex- 
 cludes certain bays and gulfs, in which fishing rights are granted 
 only to Russian subjects. There is no restriction as to the nationality 
 of the laborers employed at the sea fishing stations or as to the 
 method of preparing the fish products, except that the manufacture 
 of fertilizer from salmon is not permitted. The use of vessels under 
 foreign flags is allowed. Throw nets can be used, but they are being 
 replaced by permanent nets, the usual type of which are called 
 ■'tateami." 
 
 In the bays and gulfs excluded by the Russo-Japanese Fishing 
 Convention (Peter the Great Bay, Imperial Harbor, Vanina Bay, 
 Avatchina Bay and several others), as well as in the rivers in the 
 Okhotsk-Kamchatka district, the Priamur Department of Domains 
 may, in accordance with an order of the Agricidtural Department, 
 grant fishing rights without public tender to trustworthy persons, 
 fii*st for one season, after which, if the business has been established 
 on a firm basis, fora term of 12 years, under the control of the Minister 
 of Agriculture and Land Organization (Invr of June 21, 1910, per- 
 taining to river fishing stations). 
 
 A rental charge of 5 kopecks (2^ cents) per pood of 36.1128 pounds 
 of prepared product is made, and an unalterable condition in such 
 leases is that the lessee is obliged to use exclusively Russian laborers 
 and sailing vessels under the Russian flag. The use of foreign steam 
 vessels is not prohibited by the administration. Throw nets not 
 longer than the width of the river at the place of catching are allowed 
 as are also set nets, the "zaezdka" of the Amur type, which consist 
 of a barrier placed across the river from the shore to deep water and 
 end in a trap. In Peter the Great Bay, in addition to the above, set 
 nets and large drag nets are permitted. 
 
 The length of the "zaezdka" can not be more than half of t)ie 
 channel width; in reality a large part of the channel of the river 
 where "zaezdka" are used is kept free to permit the passage of fish 
 up the river. All other minor conditions of the lease are covered in 
 the contract. 
 
12 FISHIN^G IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 
 
 The catching of sea kale, crahs, shrimps, and trepang is now 
 ahnost exclusively carried on in Peter the Great Bay and the neigh- 
 boring coast; it is concentrated in the hands of small fishermen who 
 obtain special tickets for this purpose from the supervisor of the 
 southwestern district. 
 
 THE FISHING INDUSTRY IN 1913. 
 
 Along the extensive coast line of the Priamur district many 
 varieties of commercially valuable fish are found. The northern 
 waters of Tchukotski and Kamchatka produce mostly salmon varieties, 
 the principal of which are gorbusha, known in Alaska as humpback 
 or pink salmon; keta, the Alaskan chum, or dog salmon; kisutch, the 
 Alaskan coho, or silver salmon; tchavitchcha, the Alaskan king, or 
 chinook salmon; krasnaya, the Alaskan sockeye, blueback, or red 
 salmon, and golets, known in Alaska as Dolly Varden trout. 
 
 Dolly Varden trout are occasionally caught, when they happen 
 to run with the salmon. 
 
 Undoubtedly there are other kinds of fish in these waters, for in 
 years past American whalers visited the cod banks of Kamchatka, 
 but at present there is no cod fishing. Practically no attention is 
 paid to any but the salmon, the principal reason for this being the 
 almost total absence of local population and supplies, compelling the 
 fishermen to obtain laborers and all supplies from distant places. 
 As soon as the run of the principal fish is over the station is closed, 
 the men sent away, and no one is left to watch later runs or to study 
 the possibilities. Also the early winters would prevent late shipping 
 of fish if any were caught, and the catch would have to be held until 
 the arrival of the first steamer in the spring. 
 
 The waters of the Priamur district are subdivided into several 
 sections. Following is given a short description of the characteristics 
 of each. 
 
 NIKOLAIEVSK DISTRICT. 
 
 This district comprises the whole lower part of the Amur River 
 from the village Zimmermanovka down to the mouth of the river, 
 about 300 miles; the River Amgun, 200 miles; the Amur estuary, 
 about 150 miles on the mainland and about 130 miles on the coast 
 of Saklialin Island and about 865 miles of the coast line on the 
 southwestern shore of the Okhotsk Sea. 
 
 In addition to the regular fish-catching stations there are the 
 salting stations, which do not catch but only buy and handle fish, 
 caviar, etc., from other fishermen, mostly local peasants, natives, 
 and industrial fishermen. These salting stations, as will be seen 
 from the following table, are quite numerous. 
 
PISHING IN THE PRIAMUB DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 
 
 13 
 
 According to oflicial ligurcs for 1913 the iiumlxn- of fishing stations 
 of all kinds in this rcijion was as follows: 
 
 Kind of station. 
 
 Number 
 
 of 
 stations. 
 
 Government stations: 
 
 Catching ! 
 
 Salting 
 
 Total I 
 
 Munieipal stations: I 
 
 Catching i 
 
 Salting I 
 
 Total ' 
 
 Grand total 
 
 Term of lease. 
 
 Long term . 
 One year... 
 Long term . 
 One year. . . 
 
 Long term . 
 One year... 
 Long term . 
 One year. . . 
 
 139 245,497.20 
 
 Annual 
 rental. 
 
 $109,012.00 
 10,677.00 
 19, 742. 10 
 20,967.00 
 
 160,398.10 
 
 56. 282. 10 
 28, 692. 00 
 
 125.00 
 
 85, 099. 10 
 
 In addition to the above stations 53 Russian villages and over 
 122 native settlements participated in the fishing industry. 
 
 In 1913 the run of humpback salmon, which began in the estuary 
 on June 16 and in the river June 18 or 19, lasted during the whole 
 season; this species was also found in the autumn chum run. The 
 run was above the average and almost equal to the run of 1912. 
 At the Government stations below Nikolaievsk 2,845,687 fish were 
 caught, at the municipal stations 2,731,546. and at the Government 
 stations above Nikolaievsk 111,000, while only 1,780,561 fish were 
 caught by the local population. The summer and autumn runs of 
 chum salmon were very irregular, especially the autumn run, which 
 was divided into four separate runs, the last of which was so un- 
 expected that many fishermen had already closed their stations for 
 the season before it appeared. 
 
 • The Nikolaievsk district was formerly the chief source of suppl}^ of 
 fish to Japan, and the great majority of Nikolaievsk fishermen were 
 largely dependent upon Japan, not only for a market but also for 
 working capital. The Japanese, however, finally offered such low 
 prices for the fish and made the credit conditions so unfavorable 
 that the fishermen wxre comjjellod to look for another outlet for their 
 product. Such an outlet was found in European Russia, and the secret 
 of success of this new departure of the business was salmon caviar. 
 
 Only a few years ago salmon caviar was almost an inedible product ; 
 it was carelessly prepared, crumpled, and poorly packed. About six 
 or seven years ago the Volga River black caviar dealers became 
 interested in the Amur salmon caviar and began to experiment with 
 it. They introduced cjeaner and more careful methods of washing 
 and a better method of packing it, with satisfactory results. The 
 caviar was thoroughly tested, stood transportation, and gradually 
 
14 FISHING IN" THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 
 
 came to be one of the most valuable by-products of the fishing 
 industry, commanding a much higher price than the fish itself. 
 
 The newcomers also changed the method of salting fish, and 
 instead of producing crude briny fish prej^ared with inferior salt from 
 Japan they carefully selected the fish and thoroughly washed and 
 mildly salted them with the best salt. The resulting product, called 
 ''semga," is similar to European cured salmon. The best qualities 
 stand the railway transportation to European Kussia, where they 
 command a very high price. 
 
 The Government met the fishermen halfway by lowering the 
 freight rates and by extending more liberal credits through the 
 Government bank, as is shown in the following extract from an order 
 of the Government bank regarding loans to fishermen, against prom- 
 issory notes v»ith one signature for working capital: 
 
 With a view to extending credit to the fishermen of the far east the Government 
 bank has found it possible to allow the issuance of loans to the fishermen for working 
 capital against the following guaranties: 
 
 1. Fishing equipment; mortgages on fishing property and buildings. 
 
 2. Real estate, situated outside the fishing station, or a sold warranty. 
 
 All applications of fishermen are to be submitted, in accordance with clauses 30 and 
 65 of the bank's by-la ws,for approval of the discount and loan committee of the branch, 
 and forwarded to the council of the bank for ratification . 
 
 Further, in view of the fact that the property which is to ser\'e as a guaranty for 
 the loan is situated on land rented from the Government, and taking into consider- 
 ation the special conditions of the rental of these lands, the bank has found it neces- 
 sary to establish, in agreement with the Department of Land Organization and Agri- 
 culture, the following regulations: 
 
 1. Credits will be opened only after an investigation of the financial standing of the 
 fisherman, made with the assistance of a local representative of the Priamur l)ranch 
 of the Department of Domains. 
 
 2. Credits will be in accordance with the verified appraisement of the fishing 
 property made by the Priamur branch of the Department of Domains. 
 
 3. When opening a credit against goods, a special notarial application to the De- 
 partment of Domains is to be made by the borrower, stating that he gives the Depart- 
 ment of Domains the right to cancel his rent contract at the first demand of the 
 Government bank, and to use money deposited and sums due to him for the property, 
 for the purpose of paying his debts to the bank. 
 
 4. The application mentioned in paragraph 3 is to contain a clause by which the 
 borrower agrees not to remove any buildings at the fishing stations, nor to turn them 
 over to another person without having obtained the required permit from the bank. 
 
 5. The apphcation mentioned in paragraph 3 is to be turned OA'er by the bank 
 to the Priamur branch of the Department of Domains with the request that the 
 bank be assured that the conditions of the application wt.1I be carried out by the 
 Department of Domains. 
 
 The Japanese, realizing their mistake, have put up a strong fight 
 for the Nikolaievsk district. As late as 1913 the Japanese firm 
 P. N. Shimada,. at Nikolaievsk, offered the Nikolaievsk fishermen the 
 following prices for fish prepared in Japanese style: Summer hump- 
 
PISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA, 
 
 15 
 
 back salmon SI. 25, summer chum salmon $3.50, and autumn chum 
 salmon $7 per 100 fish, the salt to be supplied free l)y Shimada. 
 This proposal did not meet with much success. 
 
 The following tal)les show b}^ species the catch of salmon in the 
 Nikolaievsk district and the quantity prepared for the Russian mar- 
 ket, 1909 to 1918: 
 
 Years. 
 
 Hump- 
 back. 
 
 ' Number. 
 
 1909 : 2,209,433 
 
 1910 5,076,?8« 
 
 1911 1 2,621,449 
 
 1912 .5,822,729 
 
 1913 5,688,233 
 
 Catch. 
 
 Chum. 
 
 Summer 
 run. 
 
 Number. 
 
 9, .'574, 285 
 12, .536, 174 
 10,749,482 
 
 7,199,309 
 
 7, 985, .579 
 
 Autumn 
 run. 
 
 Number. 
 4,858,099 
 5,814,498 
 4, 686, 236 
 3.669,073 
 4.324,187 
 
 Prepared for Russian market. 
 
 Hump- 
 ))ack. 
 
 Number. 
 
 145,373 
 1,00.5,274 
 
 523, 338 
 1,154,913 
 4,806,629 
 
 Chum. 
 
 hummer 
 run. 
 
 Number. 
 877,423 
 2, 497, 165 
 2, 197, 168 
 4,009,574 
 6.608,804 
 
 Autumn 
 run. 
 
 Number. 
 1,398,416 
 1,975,033 
 2,424,890 
 2,886,869 
 3,212,499 
 
 Caviar. 
 
 Tova. 
 1,040 
 1,397 
 1,123 
 1,171 
 1,107 
 
 The number of salmon — fresh, salted, and frozen — delivered to 
 Japanese buyers, 1909 to 1914, was, by species, as follows: 
 
 Tears. 
 
 1909 
 1910 
 1911 
 1912 
 1913 
 
 Fresh and salted. 
 
 Humpback. 
 
 2,029,200 
 4,071,012 
 2,081,625 
 4,686,016 
 881,604 
 
 Chum, Chum, 
 
 smnmer j autumn 
 
 run. run. 
 
 Frozen. 
 
 Hump- 
 back and 
 
 chum, 
 
 summer 
 
 run. 
 
 Chum, 
 
 autiunn 
 
 run. 
 
 8, 733, 62.5 
 10,0.39,101 
 8,025,216 
 3,295,603 
 1,2.31,775 
 
 3, .510, 847 
 
 3,195,506 
 
 2,368,798 
 
 780,303 
 
 953,688 
 
 48, 463 
 15,000 
 105,328 
 102,000 
 118,000 
 
 157,081 
 343,959 
 129,801 
 120,000 
 158,000 
 
 ' In 1913 in the Nikolaievsk district salmon were prepared for the 
 Russian and other than Japanese markets, as follows: 
 
 These figures show the small quantity of fish that is canned in 
 this district. Some experts claim that the Amur salmon is not 
 suitable for canning purposes. In the whole district there is only 
 
16 
 
 FISHING IN THE PEIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBEEIA. 
 
 one canning factory, that of W. J. Miller, the 1913 output of which is 
 shown in the following table: 
 
 Humpback and chiun salmon: 
 
 Natural, round cans 
 
 In jelly, roimd cans 
 
 In tomatoes, oval cans 
 
 Pickled, oval cans 
 
 In t oinatoes, round cans 
 
 Pickled, round cans 
 
 In tomatoes, round J cans 
 
 TMckled, round i cans 
 
 Total 
 
 Caviar 
 
 Sturgeon: 
 
 In tomatoes and pickled, square I cans 
 In tomatoes and pickled, square j cans 
 
 Total 
 
 Quantity. 
 
 Cases. 
 600 
 
 58 
 
 64 
 1:^2 
 486 
 
 41 
 237 
 
 70 
 
 Cans. 
 
 28,800 
 3,480 
 3,200 
 6,600 
 
 24,300 
 2,050 
 
 23,700 
 7,000 
 
 99, 130 
 
 4,420 
 
 6,000 
 750 
 
 6,750 
 
 Value per 
 case. 
 
 $3.90 
 6.00 
 9.00 
 9.00 
 7.00 
 7.00 
 10.00 
 10.00 
 
 20.40 
 
 18.00 
 16.00 
 
 In 1913, by the steamer Broadmore, the following frozen fish were 
 shipped: Chum salmon (summer rim), 118,000, at S6.25 per 100 fish, 
 and chum salmon (autuimi run), 108,000, at $12.50 per hundred. 
 Also, 50,000 fish were taken up the river in a refrigerating barge. 
 
 SAKHALIN DISTRICT. 
 
 This district includes the entire coast line of Sakhalin Island with 
 the exception of that facing the Amur estuary, which belongs to the 
 Nikolaievsk district. It is the smallest district and is now of no great 
 importance. Before the Russo-Japanese War it was the most im- 
 portant district so far as herring fishing was concerned. The richest 
 local fishermen, Semenoff, Denbigh, Biritch, and others, made their 
 fortunes here. 
 
 The 1913 catch was not good, due to storms and a poor run of 
 herring, the principal fish of the district. The catch was as follows: 
 
 Years. 
 
 1911 
 1912 
 1913 
 
 Chum Humpback 
 salmon, j salmon. 
 
 31,000 
 16,000 
 
 38, 000 
 
 Herring. 
 
 286,000 12,640,000 
 126,000 14,036,000 
 183,000 4,483,000 
 
 The product prepared amounted to 1,212 tons in 1911, 1,068 tons 
 in 1912, and only 690 tons in 1913. 
 
 In 1913 there were 14 stations on the island, of which 2 fish- 
 catching and 2 fish-salting stations were in nonconventional waters, 
 and 10 in conventional waters, 5 of the latter belonging to Russian 
 and 5 to Japanese fishermen. 
 
FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 17 
 
 The catch in 1913 was made into the following products: 
 
 Tons. 
 
 Fish , salted Russian method 79 
 
 Caviar, Russian niethcid 22 
 
 Fish . drj--salted lor Japanese market 274 
 
 Herring fertilizer 274 
 
 Fish oil ;^y 
 
 Caviar for Japanese market 3 
 
 Total 690 
 
 OKHOTSK-KAMCHATKA DISTRICT. 
 
 The northern waters of the Priamur, including the above-named 
 district, are still dominated by Japanese fishermen. The Russo- 
 Japanese Fishing Convention of 1907 opened the doors of this dis- 
 trict to them, and in these waters they are far better equipped than 
 the Russian fishermen. A fair knowledge of the fishing grounds was 
 already at the disposal of Japanese fishermen, because Japanese 
 schooners were in the habit of visiting and fishing in these waters long 
 before such rights were explicitly granted to them. They also had at 
 their command a large force of good, experienced, and cheap labor, a 
 large sailing fleet, cheap credits, and ready markets at home. 
 
 The Russians, on the contrary, were very much handicapped; the 
 waters were entirely unknown to them; they had no workmen, no 
 fleet, no credit, no capital, and no market but tlie Japanese. Nat- 
 urally, under such circumstances, the Russians had to begin in a very 
 moderate way and principally at places outside the conventional 
 area, in rivers and closed bays which were visited by the Volunteer 
 Fleet steamers. Further development of Russian fishing in these 
 waters could progress but slowly. Some progress was made, but the 
 full " Russification " of the industry in these waters is a question for 
 the remote future. 
 
 Since 1907 the progress of Japanese fishing can be seen in the in- 
 creased number of fishing stations, the larger number of workmen at 
 the stations, and the replacement of the sailing fleet by steamers. 
 The present general appearance of the Japanese fishing station is 
 just the same as in the past — temporary bamboo structures covered 
 with matting, and the method of salting is the dry-salting process 
 under the open sky, without w^ashing the fish. Only at places W'here 
 there is a good run of red, or sockeye, salmon is there an increase of 
 canned products, which are prepared merely with salt and without 
 spices, and a correspondingly better equipment of the outfits. 
 
 The bulk of the products prepared by the Japanese is sold in Japan 
 and China. Of the canned salmon some is consumed in Japan and 
 some is exported to England; no goods are prepared for the Russian 
 market. 
 
18 FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA, 
 
 Russian fishing in the Okhotsk-Kamchatka district is, as pre- 
 viously stated, concentrated in the nonconventional waters, baj^s, and 
 harbors, which are rented exclusively to Russian subjects on condi- 
 tion that they employ only Russian workmen and sliips. 
 
 Since 1907 quite a change is noticeable in the position of Russian 
 fisheries in these waters. During the first years the Russians prepared 
 fish almost exclusively by the Japanese method of dry salting, only 
 caviar being prepared for the Russian market. The number of salting 
 stations, where Russian caviar makers buy raw caviar from Japanese 
 fishermen and prepare it for the Russian markets, is still growing. 
 Three well-equipped Russian fish-canning factories have been built, 
 two on the river and one on the coast. 
 
 Tins region covers the coast line of the northern part of the Okhotsk 
 Sea from Port Ayan to Penjin Promontory, about 1,620 miles. 
 Regardless of occasional good catches, the Okhotsk shores are con- 
 sidered poor in fishery resources, and the natives are often unable to 
 catch enough fish to provide for themselves and their dogs during the 
 winter. In order to establish a reserve area and to guarantee the 
 future stock of fish in this region, clause 11 of the fishing law of June 
 11, 1911, has been put in force since 1913, and the following waters 
 have been closed for fishing: I^iya and Urak Rivers, 2§ miles along 
 the shore each way from the mouth of the rivers ; Okhota and Kukh- 
 tui, being two outlets of the same river, 3^ miles to the west from. 
 Okhota River and 3J miles to the east from Kukhtui River, as well 
 as the territory between, about 2 J miles; Kola, Tau, Yana, Armaii, 
 Ola, Yama, Takhyama, Nayakhan, and Gizhiga Rivers, 2f miles on 
 both sides of the mouth of each river. 
 
 Tlie run of chum salmon in 1913 was of average proportions. It 
 began July 14 and was heaviest between August 2 and 27; single 
 fish were caught as late as early September. Tlie run of humpback 
 salmon was good. Tlie catch was effected along the coast at seven 
 fishing stations, six Japanese and one- Russian. The number of 
 salmon caught in 1913, compared with the two preceding years, was 
 as follows: 
 
 
 Chum. 
 
 ZT S-l^«y- 
 
 1911(4 stations) 
 
 641,000 
 730,000 
 679,948 
 
 SSvOOO 
 
 1912 (4 stations) 
 
 16,000 9,000 
 
 1913 (7 stations) 
 
 20J 014 
 
 
 
 The product prepared amounted to 1 ,729 tons in 1 91 1 , 1 ,891 tons in 
 1912, and 2,005 tons in 1913. Of the 1913 product 1,928 tons were 
 dry salted for the Japanese market, and 71 tons of Russian caviar and 
 6 tons of Japanese caviar were prepared. 
 
FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 19 
 
 At the riv(M" stations, outside of conventional waters, nine fisliinjr 
 stations and six salting stations were in operation in 1913, the eatch 
 amounting to 555,102 chum salmon, 41,252 humpback salmon, 3,198 
 coho salmon, and 17,035 Dolly Varden trout, from which there were 
 prepared 534 tons of fish and 136 tons of caviar for the Russian 
 market and 772 tons of fish for the Japanese market, a total product 
 of 1,442 tons. 
 
 The catch in the entire district in 1913 consisted of 1,235,050 chum 
 salmon, 245,266 humpback salmon, 3,198 coho salmon, and 17,035 
 Dolly Varden trout, and the ])ro(luct prepared amounted to 534 tons 
 of hsli and 207 tons of caviar for the Russian market and 2,700 tons 
 of fish and 6 tons of caviar for the Japanese market. 
 
 Tlie output for the entire Okhotsk district for the years 1911 to 
 1913 was 2,426 tons in 1911, 322 tons in 1912, and 3,447 tons in 1913. 
 
 West Kamchatka district. — This district includes the coast line from 
 the Sopotchnaya River down to the southern Osernof shore fishing 
 stations, a (hstance of .about 335 miles. Kamchatka is very inter- 
 esting between the middle of July and the last of August, the season 
 for the red and pink salmon. On the west coast the Osernaya River 
 is the only stream that the red salmon inhabit in any cjuantities. 
 All fishing is done with a device called "kaku-ami," which consists 
 of a main net and a fence net. The main net is 70 fatlioms long and 
 the fence net is 120 fathoms long. Tlie fence net extends outward so 
 as to guide the fish toward the main net. This device is set near the 
 seashore in 10 fathoms of water, where the salmon run. When the 
 fish are caught, the main net is hauled up by a boat and the fish 
 are transferred to a bag net called ''waku-ami,'' used for landing the 
 fish. 
 
 In 1913 there were 152 fishing stations in this district of which onl}' 
 9 were leased by Russians and 143 by Japanese. In 1912 there were 
 133 of such stations. At the public tenders for 1913 the Russians 
 obtained 19 stations but transferred 10 of them to Japanese, after 
 having made an arrangement with them in regard to the caviar. 
 
 One hundred and forty-eight stations were operated while 4 were idle. 
 A certain growth of interest is noticed in the fishing in these waters, 
 especially in the northern part of the district, but ])rincipally by Japa- 
 nese fishermen. The stations are gradually movhig toward the north, 
 and the present empty coast lying between the Rivei"s Palana and 
 Sopotchnaya will soon be occupied by fishermen. Tlie increase in the 
 number of stations will be seen from the following figures: 1910, 102 
 stations; 1911, 139 stations; 1912, 133 stations, and 1913, 148 
 stations. These figures do not include 15 river stations belonging to 
 Russians, of which only 13 were operated in 1913. 
 
 The rental has also increased with the increase in the number of 
 stations. In 1912 the highest price paid for one station was $2,540, 
 
20 
 
 FISHING IN THE PRIAMUK DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 
 
 and the average price per station was $1,094. In 1913 the highest 
 price was $3,333 and the average $1,390. In 1912 the total sum 
 collected by the Government from the stations was $113,348 and in 
 1913, $175,674. 
 
 In this district there are also the following rivers where fishing is 
 prohibited: Tigil River, 2§ miles to the north and south of its mouth; 
 Oblukovina, 3 miles on both sides of its mouth; Kolpokara, 4 J miles 
 to the north and 3 miles to the .south of its mouth; Vorovskaya, 3 
 miles on both sides of its mouth; Kol, 3 miles on both sides of its 
 mouth; Kikchik, 3 miles to the north and 1§ miles south; Bolshaya, 
 5| miles north and 25 miles south; Goliguina and Opala, 3 miles 
 north of Opala and 3 miles south of Goliguina and the territory 
 between them ; and Osernaya, 3 miles to th^ north and 1 § miles to 
 the south. 
 
 Formerly only sailing vessels served the stations in this district; 
 later steamers made their appearance, and now a combination of 
 steamers and sailing craft is growing in general use, the latter working 
 as auxiliaries, feeding the steamers. The improvement in transpor- 
 tation is indicated in the following table of percentages : 
 
 1910 
 
 1911 
 
 1912 
 
 80 
 
 67.6 
 
 54.9 
 
 15 
 
 20.9 
 
 20.3 
 
 5 
 
 11.5 
 
 24.8 
 
 1913 
 
 Japanese schooners. 
 Japanese steamers. . 
 Auxiliary schooners 
 
 42.6 
 18.2 
 39.2 
 
 The 1913 catch was not good; heavy storms kept the schools of 
 fish from approaching the shore, and often prevented any fishing. 
 The total catch was as follows : 
 
 Coast stations: 
 
 Russian (8) 
 
 Japanese (140) 
 
 River stations: Russian (13) 
 
 Total 
 
 King 
 salmon. 
 
 Chum 
 salmon. 
 
 Hump- 
 back 
 salmon. 
 
 Number. 
 
 95 
 
 5,216 
 
 4,196 
 
 Number. 
 
 191, 873 
 3, 902, 646 
 
 373, 812 
 
 Number. 
 
 1,340,685 
 24, 160, 762 
 
 1,842,090 
 
 9,507 I 4,468,331 27,343,537 
 
 Sockeye i Coho 
 salmon. salmon. 
 
 Number. 
 
 25,447 
 
 1,269,176 
 
 226,653 
 
 1,521,276 
 
 Number. 
 
 1,198 
 
 67, 076 
 
 33, 195 
 
 101,469 
 
 Dolly 
 Varden 
 trout. 
 
 Number. 
 
 99,690 
 
 99, 690 
 
 The output at the coast stations in 1913 amounted to 37,604 tons 
 of fish, of which 1,030 tons, chiefly sockeyes, were canned, and the 
 balance was Japanese dry-salted. There were prepared 1,134 tons 
 of caviar, 102 tons according to the Japanese method, and the balance 
 by Russian method. 
 
 A comparison of this catch with previous years is given below : 
 
 1909 
 
 1910 
 
 1911 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 Number of stations 
 
 
 109 
 15,518 
 
 102 
 
 23,857 
 
 139 
 
 48,322 
 
 133 
 
 24,559 
 
 148 
 
 Output 
 
 tons..' 
 
 37,604 
 
FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA, 21 
 
 The catch of the river stations was utihzed as follows: 
 
 Tons. 
 
 Fish prepared for Russian market -j, S46 
 
 Fish canned for European market 105 
 
 Fish dry-salted for Japanese market 840 
 
 Fish fertilizer 4 
 
 Caviar, Russian method 215 
 
 4,010 
 
 The catch on the river stations in 1912 and 1913 was as follows: 
 
 King 
 salmon. 
 
 1912, 12 stations. 
 
 1913, 13 stations. 
 
 Number. 
 3,000 
 4,196 
 
 Chum 
 salmon. 
 
 Number. 
 246, 000 
 373, 812 
 
 salmon. 
 
 salmon. 
 
 Number. Number. 
 
 930, 000 480, 000 
 
 1,842,090 226,653 
 
 Colio 
 salmon. 
 
 Number. 
 33,000 
 33, 195 
 
 Dolly 
 Varden 
 trout. 
 
 Number. 
 71,000 
 99,690 
 
 The fish from this district are gradually attracting the attention of 
 buyers. The improvements in the equipment of fishing stations 
 warrant preparing a better product and thereby diminish the de- 
 pendency of the district upon the Japanese market. 
 
 In 1913 Schelohoff Bros., of Astrakhan, Suvoroff & Sons, of Odessa, 
 Yasikoff, of Petrograd, and Kapeikin, a large Siberian fish dealer, 
 made liberal advances of money to the fishermen in order that they 
 might prepare the catch in accordance with the Russian method, and 
 some of them commissioned their own specialists to superintend 
 the preparation. It is only natural that under such conditions the 
 district wdl gradually become independent of Japanese buyers. In 
 1911, out of 3,595 tons of fish products, 2,095 tons, or 58 per cent, 
 were shipped to Japan: in 1912, of 2,831 tons, 835 tons, or 30 per cent; 
 whereas in 1913, of 4,010 tons, only 845 tons, or 21 per cent, were 
 shipped to Japan. 
 
 There were 12 canneries in the district in 1913, of which 2 were 
 river stations, viz, Eckerman's on Polaiia River and Maynard's on Kol- 
 pokava River. The best canneries are well equipped with modern 
 machinery and are run by a Japanese firm, which is backed by an 
 English concern. 
 
 In 1913 the canneries on the coast produced 41,186 cases of canned 
 salmon, and 4,208 cases were packed at river stations. 
 
 The largest cannery is located on the Osernaya River. The shore 
 property is valued at SIOO.OOO. There are 120 white, 30 Japanese, and 
 40 Korean employees. The company runs one transporting vessel 
 of 2,200 tons valued at $150,000, one power fishing boat of 400 tons 
 valued at $20,000, and eight lighters. The apparatus consists of 
 two 250-foot haul or beach seines. In 1915 the catch was 60,000 
 sockeye, 500,000 humpback, and 75,000 chum salmon. The product 
 was 5,200 cases (48 one-])ound flat cans per case) of sockeyes valued 
 
22 FISHING IN THE PRIAMUK DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 
 
 'at S40,000, 19,800 cases of humpbacks worth $120,000, and 4,000 
 cases of chums worth $24,000. Also 5,000 pounds of dry-salted 
 humpbacks were prepared, as well as 7,200 pounds of salmon fertil- 
 izer worth $72. This plant was built in 1914. The buildings are of 
 steel shipped from England; the machinery is all American. One net 
 is operated by the company and one by local inhabitants known as 
 "colonists." 
 
 The Osernaya River is a natural place to find red, or sockeye, sal- 
 mon, but owing to the Japanese concessions higher up the coast very 
 few reds now reach the river. 
 
 Another plant is operated on the Bolsheresk River, the shore prop- 
 erty being valued at $5,000. This plant employs 200 whites and 50 
 Japanese and uses two 250-foot haul or beach seines. The product 
 in 1915 was 700,000 pounds of pickled sockeye salmon. The conces- 
 sion at present is used for salting only, but the erection of a cannery 
 for humpback salmon is being cUscussed. No reds are found in the 
 river, but there is an abundance of humpbacks. 
 
 A Japanese firm has a cannery 5 miles north of the Osernaya River, 
 employing 400 Japanese; the land plant is valued at $35,000. The 
 plant has one transporting vessel worth $1,500, six lighters worth 
 $1,000, and three 5,000-foot floating traps valued at $5,000. This 
 cannery was built in 1913. The building is of wood and was con- 
 structed first in Hakodate, taken apart, and reassembled in Kam- 
 chatka. Tlie machinery is xVmerican made. In 1914 the can- 
 making machines were removed to Hakodate, and the cans are now 
 made there. The company has three coast concessions, one at the 
 cannery and one on either side. They put up 27,000 cases of sock- 
 eyes in 1913 and 15,000 cases in 1914. The product in 1915 was 
 20,000 cases (48 half-pound flat cans per case) of sockeyes, worth 
 $100,000: 18,000 cases (48 one-pound flat cans per case) of sockeyes, 
 worth $126,000, and 15,000 cases (48 one-pound flat cans per case) of 
 humpbacks, worth $60,000. They also dry-salt a considerable 
 cjuantity of humpbacks. 
 
 E'arther up the coast there is another cannery which makes its cans 
 and does aU work by hand. Beyond this plant there seem to be no 
 sockeye salmon along the west coast of Kamchatka. 
 
 East Kamcliatka district. — This district covers the coast line of the 
 eastern Kamchatka and Anadir Peninsulas, about 1,843 miles. The 
 majority of the fishing stations are concentrated around Karaguinsky 
 (Count Litka) Bay, in the straits from the Malo-Voyam River to 
 Kitchigin River, about 135 miles long, and in the region of Kamchatka 
 River. 
 
 The area closed to fishing in this district consists of the shore line, 
 7 miles to the west and 2§ miles to the east of the mouth of Kamchatka 
 River. 
 
FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 
 
 28 
 
 The run of fish in 1913 was retarded very much hy late ice, which 
 remained until the end of June and in some ]ilaces as late even as 
 July. However, the run of fish, es])ecially of chum salmon, was goocK 
 At some places (Pankara and Russakova Rivers) large schools of fish, 
 averaging Ih to 2 miles wide, appeared early in August, hut the sta- 
 tions were closed. The Anadir River had a good run. There were 
 hardly any runs of sockeye and coho salmon hetween the Kitchigin 
 and Yki Rivers, and a rather small run in the region of the Kamchatka 
 River, which is of special importance on account of the canneries. 
 
 In 1912 at 10 coast fishing stations 700,000 sockeyes and 250,000 
 cohos were caught, while in 1913, at nine stations only 393,000 
 sockeyes and 95,000 cohos were taken. 
 
 The catch of salmon at the coast stations for the years 1911 to 1913 
 was as follows: 
 
 King. 
 
 Number. 
 
 1911, 38 stations 8, 000 
 
 1912, 54 stations 29, 000 
 
 1913, 61 stations i 30, 167 
 
 Chum. 
 
 Number. 
 3,085,000 
 3, 414, 000 
 6, 464, 224 
 
 Humpback. Sockeye. Coho. 
 
 Number, i Number, i Number. 
 
 1,627,000 I 750,000 ] 218,000 
 
 497,000 I 745,000 249,000 
 
 2,623,997 i 399,207 98,043 
 
 The output amounted to 11,399 tons in 1911, 11,467 tons in 1912, 
 and 21,192 tons in 1913. Of the 1913 product 250 tons of fish were 
 salted according to the Russian method, 19,076 tons dry-salted hy the 
 Japanese method, 1,030 tons were canned, 700 tons of caviar were 
 prepared for the Russian market, and 136 tons for the Japanese 
 market. Twenty-five cases of crabs were also canned. 
 
 At the river stations, 28 in number, of which 26 were operated in 
 1913, the catch in that year was 1,315 king salmon, 1,055,045 chum 
 salmon, 647,595 humpback salmon, 460,494 sockeye salmon, 54,780 
 .coho salmon, 18,671 Dolly Varden trout, and 88,740 herring. Prod- 
 ucts prepared amounted to 1,405 tons of fish, Russian salted, 611 
 tons canned, 2,261 tons Japanese dry-salted, and 198 tons of Russian 
 caviar, a total of 4,475 tons. 
 
 The grand total of the 1913 catch in this district was: 
 
 
 King 
 salmon. 
 
 Chum 
 salmon. 
 
 Humpback 
 salmon. 
 
 Sockeye 
 salmon. 
 
 Coho 
 salmon. 
 
 Dolly 
 Varden 
 trout. 
 
 Herring. 
 
 
 Number. 
 30, 167 
 
 Number. 
 fi. 464. 224 
 
 Number. 
 2.623.997 
 
 Number. 
 .SOQ. 207 
 
 Number. 
 98,043 
 54, 780 
 
 Number. 
 
 Nvmber. 
 
 Outside conventional waters 
 
 1,315 i' 055^ 045 j '647^595 i 460,' 494 
 
 18,671 
 
 88, 740 
 
 Total 
 
 31,482 
 
 7,519,269 3.271.592 i 859.701 
 
 152,823 
 
 18,671 
 
 88,740 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 The total output of , prepared products was 25,668 tons, divided as 
 follows: Fish, Russian salted, 1,655 tons; fish, canned, 1,641 tons; 
 fish, Japanese dry-salted, 21,337 tons; Russian caviar, 898 tons, and 
 
24 
 
 FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 
 
 Japanese caviar, 137 tons. The total output in 1912 was 15,663 tons, 
 and in 1911, 16,388 tons. 
 
 All canning factories in tliis district are located in the neighbor- 
 hood of the Kamchatka River. One belongs to the Russian firm, 
 Denbigh & Co., and the others to Japanese. Denbigh & Co. operate 
 two excellently equipped power canning plants with American mod- 
 ern machinery, and during 1913, 1914, and 1915 they packed salmon 
 as follows: 
 
 Years. 
 
 Sockeye. 
 
 Coho. 
 
 Chum. 
 
 Hump- 1 
 back. 1 
 
 King. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1913 
 
 Cases. 
 33,000 
 41, 203 
 36,763 
 
 Cases. 
 10,000 
 11,253 
 26, 176 
 
 Cases. 
 18,000 J 
 19, 103 
 39,426 
 
 Cases. 
 
 Cases. 
 
 Cases. 
 61,000 
 71,559 
 
 1914 
 
 "'"i,'44i" 
 
 20' 
 
 1915. 
 
 103,826 
 
 
 
 SOUTHWESTERN DISTRICT. 
 
 This district covers the waters from the southern boundary of the 
 Amur River estuary (the line between Capes Lazaref and Pogibi) 
 down to the Chosen frontier, including Vanina Bay, Imperial Harbor, 
 Peter the Great Bay, and other bays. The total length of the shore 
 line is about 1,350 miles. 
 
 Tiiis district may be divided into two principal parts : The north- 
 ern, from Lazaref-Pogibi line to Cape Povorotni, which, with the 
 exception of various bays, includes the conventional waters; and 
 the southern part, composed of Peter the Great Bay and Posiet Bay, 
 both of which are excluded from the conventional waters. 
 
 In the northern part the fishing stations are rented on the public- 
 tender basis, and the great majority of the station owners and work- 
 men are Japanese. Chum and humpback salmon are caught to some 
 extent, especially the latter, but the principal fish is herring. The 
 spring herring is made into fertilizer by the Japanese, and some fish 
 oil is extracted. During the past three to five years the Tartar 
 Straits fishermen have begmi to salt herring in a very crude way, 
 and the product commands a rather low price. The principal group 
 of herring-fishing stations begins to the north of Imperial Harbor, 
 about Datta Bay, and continues 50 to 60 miles to the south. 
 
 In the southern part there is a wider range in the varieties caught, 
 viz: Crabs, shrimps, oysters, trepang, and sea kale. In this section 
 fishing is exclusively in the hands of Russian subjects, who fish dur- 
 ing the entire year. 
 
 Peter the Great Bay chiefly supplies the Vladivostok market with 
 fresh and frozen fish, crabs, shrimps, etc., and during the spring run 
 of herring large quantities, fresh and mildly salted, are shipped to 
 Chosen, Japan, and China. It supplies Vladivostok with herring, 
 bass, carp, flounders, trout, and chum and humpback salmon. 
 
FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 
 
 25 
 
 In convontional waters the 1913 catch was smaller tlian in 1912 
 and 1911 and was about equal to that of 1910, which was considered 
 a poor yt'ar, «is will be seen from th(> following figures: 1910, 
 25,000,000 herring and 1,388 tons of fish fertilizer; 1911, 32,800,000 
 herring and 2,033 tons of fertihzer; 1912, 27,950,000 herring and 
 1,857 tons of fertilizer; 1913, 25,070,000 herring and 1,388 tons of 
 fertilizer. 
 
 In excluded bays the run w'as somewhat better, and in St. Olga 
 and Vanina Bays it was very good. The result of the catch of her- 
 ring for the years 1910 to 1913 was: 1910, 1,375,000; 1911, 2,050,000; 
 1912,3,477,000: 1913,2,441,000. 
 
 The poor catch of 1911 and 1912 greatly dimhiished tlie fishing 
 interest in Peter the Great Bay, and the number of fisliing staticms 
 decreased from 44 in 1912 to 17 in 1913. The catch of 1913 was, com- 
 paratively speaking, good, especially the herring catch. The follow- 
 ing figures show^ the herring catch in the years 1910 to 1913: 1910, 
 6,018,000; 1911, 4,476,000; 1912, 5,142,000; 1913, 10,391,000. 
 
 The catch of dorse was smaller than in 1912; that of smelt was 
 better. About 400,000 crabs w^ere caught: about 15,000 of these 
 were sold fresh at Vladivostok, and a smaU frozen consignment was 
 shipped to European Russia. The balance, about 125 to"lis, was dried 
 for the Chinese market. 
 
 Shrimp fishing is very little developed; about 10 tons were caught 
 in 1913. Sea kale was obtained to the extent of only 1,000 tons. 
 Only 125,000 oysters were brought to Vladivostok, and 9 tons of 
 trepang w^ere prepared for the C'hhiese market. These figures do 
 not include fish, etc., caught by local peasants. 
 
 The grand total for 1913 of the catch in this district was: 
 
 ' 
 
 Peter the 
 Great and 
 other bays 
 excluded 
 by the 
 conven- 
 tion, but 
 including 
 the catch 
 
 of 33 
 villages. 
 
 Conven- 
 tional 
 waters. 
 
 
 Peter the 
 Great and 
 other bays 
 excludeci 
 by the 
 conven- 
 tion, but 
 including 
 the catch 
 
 of 33 
 villages. 
 
 Conven- 
 tional 
 waters. 
 
 Number of fish caught: 
 
 Chum salmon 
 
 Humpback salmon . . . 
 
 102,000 
 
 213,000 
 15, 849, 000 
 
 933,000 
 3,400,000 
 
 150,000 
 
 36,000 
 
 445,000 
 
 25,070,000 
 
 Products prepared— Con. 
 Fish, fertilizer.. tons. . 
 Caviar, Japanese mar- 
 ket tons.. 
 
 182 
 
 1,388 
 5 
 
 
 Caviar, Russian mar- 
 ket tons.. 
 
 
 
 Smelt 
 
 
 8 21 
 
 
 1,900 , 
 
 Fish oil, Russian ' ; 
 
 
 287, 600 
 79,000 
 46,000 
 
 
 market tons..: 31 ! 85 
 
 
 
 
 Fish for Russian mar- ! 
 
 
 1 
 
 ket tons.. 1,799 
 
 
 Trout 
 
 11,800 
 
 Fish for Chinese and 
 Chosen markets. 
 tons.. 1,167 
 
 
 
 155 
 761,000 
 
 
 
 467,000 
 533 
 
 
 Products prepared: 
 
 Fish, dry -salted for 
 Japanese market 
 
 Crabs do....i 125 
 
 Sea kale do.... 1,866 
 
 Trepang do 9 
 
 Shrimps do 29 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
26 FISHING IN THE PRIAM UR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 
 
 Import of herring at Shanghai. — According to the "Priamurskaya 
 Vyedomosti," the agent of Commerce and Industry for China and 
 Japan states that the Shanghai market is supphed with fish similar 
 to herring, caught in Chhiese waters, and the importation of herring 
 depends upon the local catch of this fish, of which there is not enough 
 to satisfy the demands. Large foreign firms import quantities of 
 American and Japanese herring, the price varying from $2.37 to 
 S2.84 per hundred pounds. The average weight of one herring is 
 about 1 pound. 
 
 At the end of March or the beginning of April the catch of fish in 
 Chinese waters begins, and therefore the prices on imported herring 
 decrease. Toward warm weather the demand ceases altogether. 
 
 American herring, of an average weight of one-fourth pound, 
 have a good market in Shanghai during autumn, winter, and spring, 
 and they bring from $2.37 to $3.32 per hundred pounds. 
 
 All kinds of fish dried in the open air find a good market in Shang- 
 hai during the entire year. The prices range from $2.84 to $3.79 
 per hundred pounds, depending upon the kind of fish, the smaller 
 sizes bringing better prices. The fish are packed in bales. 
 
 During recent years the Vladivostok fish dealers have made attempts 
 to introduce 'their herring into China, but notwithstanding that their 
 herring are better than the local or the American product the 
 attempts have not been very successful. This is explained by the 
 fact that the buyers of fish at Vladivostok do not live up to their 
 contracts. There were instances where the boxes contained more 
 Chinese cheap salt than fish. However, fish of good quality that 
 have succeeded in reaching Shanghai have been well received, and 
 consignments before the Chinese spring holidays have brought as 
 much as $8.50 per hundred pounds. 
 
 Up to the present Russian fish dealers have been dealing through 
 small commission agents, whose services were not satisfactory. 
 Unfortunately, almost all of the Russian fishermen in Vladivostok 
 are without sufficient capital to place the industry on a business basis. 
 They have not the money to secure a large catch early enough in the 
 spruig to enable them to deliver it to the market before the Chinese 
 holidays and before the local fish appear on the market. The 
 principal run of herring occurs after the Chinese holidays, and there- 
 fore arrangements are needed to enable the fishermen to preserve the 
 fish until the fall, when the market again becomes profitable. 
 
 AMUR RIVER. 
 
 The figures obtainable of the Amur River fishing are far less accu- 
 rate than those of sea fishing. The control of this fishing is intrusted 
 to GovernmBut foresters and not to special men, as in the sea-fishing 
 
FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 27 
 
 districts; the foresters regard it as a secondary matter and give it 
 scant attention. On the other hand, fish on the Amur are to a hirge 
 extent replacing cereals for the local inhabitants, not only foi- natives 
 but also for Russians, and for this reason as many free fishing stations 
 are given to the inhabitants as are deemed necessary to insure their 
 food supply. Owing to alleged abuse of this privilege and to the 
 inadequate and lax control by the foresters, the several rules and 
 regulations providing for close seasons for the most valuable fish and 
 prohibiting the use of certain methods of capture can not, it appears, 
 ho enforced among the river fishermen. 
 
 The Amur River region is quite different from tlie northern waters. 
 Here chum and humpback salmon are the principal fish, and two or 
 three runs of each of these varieties occur annually. The Amur River 
 fishing has a very far-reaching effect on the whole life of the Maritime 
 and Amur Provinces. The principal fishing is concentrated in the 
 northern part of the river and in its estuaries. The width of the 
 river, the frequent storms during the runs, and the regulations gov- 
 erning the construction and size of the fishing gear all assist in allow- 
 ing the fish to pass the innumerable fishing stations at the mouth of 
 the rivei- and its estuary ajid to reach the upper parts of the stream. 
 The runs of fish up the river replace, in the Maritime Province, the 
 harvest time in other sections of Russia. By far the greater part of 
 the inhabitants along the river catch fish; they are eaten fresh and 
 are salted, dried, and prepared in other ways for future consumption. 
 In the diet of the peasants and natives of the Amur River system fish 
 replaces grain. The natives prepare the fundamental ft)od for their 
 dogs from the fish heads and bones. In the Maritime Province the 
 salmon ascend the Amur as far as the Ussuri River and its tributaries; 
 in the Amur Province they often ascend as far as Blagovyestchensk. 
 
 Beyond Nikolaievsk only the surplus salmon are sold, the bulk of 
 the catch being prepared for home consumption. 
 
 The lower part of the Amur River and its estuary is occupied by 
 the largest, oldest, and best fishuig stations, some of which are 
 already fully equipped with proper quays, sheds, ice cellars, and even 
 refrigerators, electric lights, and yard radroads. The longer a station 
 exists the better it is studied and the greater its value becomes. In 
 March, 1916, pubHc tenders were held for some of the best stations, 
 and the increase in their value can be seen from the following figures : 
 In 1908 one of these stations was leased for SI, 500; in 1912 the same 
 lessee paid $3,000 for it, and last March (1916) it was leased by an 
 outsider for $21,000. Another station, regarded as one of the best, 
 was leased by the same man for 12 years at $2,500 per annum; this 
 year the old lessee offered $48,000 for it, but was outbid by a new 
 man, who offered $58,000 per annum. 
 
28 
 
 FISHING IX THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 
 
 The expensive outfitting of the fishmg stations, regardless of the 
 rent period, is due to the fact that, in order to encourage better 
 equipment, the Government introduced a clause into the rules of the 
 rental contracts and the public tender conditions by which, in cases 
 wliere fishmg stations changed hands, the new owner must buy all 
 the equipment from the former owner at cost price. In case the 
 parties do not agree to the valuation of the property, the Department 
 of Domams is authorized to appraise it, which valuation is bmdmg for 
 both parties. The practice of the last three to four years shows very 
 satisfactory results from these conditions, and smce the introduction 
 of this rule many fishing stations have been improved and equipped 
 to a greater extent than in former years. 
 
 Sturgeon, perch, bass, carp, and many other fishes are caught at 
 the Amur River stations, but the volume of their catch is not large, 
 and the fish are consumed locally. 
 
 Fishing on the Amur River is divided into two districts — the Mari- 
 insk, or the lower Amur district, and the Khabarovsk district. 
 
 Mariinsk district. — This district includes the area from the village 
 Troitskoe to the village wSophiskoe, or a tract about 278 miles long. 
 Of 147 fishing stations existing in this district in 1913, only 27 sta- 
 tions were commercial; the balance (120) Vere given free to 18 Rus- 
 sian and 49 native villages. 
 
 The result of the 1913 catcl? of salmon was as follows, the total 
 being compared with the two preceding years : 
 
 
 Hump- 
 back. 
 
 Chum. 
 
 
 Summer 
 run. 
 
 Autumn 
 run. 
 
 1913. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Numher. 
 
 44,400 
 
 (150 
 
 32,410 
 
 Number. 
 480,321 
 
 
 
 330, 334 
 
 
 
 174,401 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 77,4ti0 985.056 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total, 1912... 
 
 450 
 
 117,700 
 
 7S,4G1 
 
 1,033,559 
 
 Total, 1911 .' 
 
 1,118,770 
 
 
 
 
 In addition to the fish prepared for home consumption, the local 
 ii^habitants put some of the products on the market, viz: Salted 
 summer chums 73 tons, autumn chums 1,476 tons, and 68 tons of 
 caviar. In addition to this, 116 tons of summer chums, 877 tons 
 of autunni chums, and 62 tons of caviar were prepared by commercial 
 fishermen. 
 
 Khabarovsk district. — This district includes the river line from the 
 northern boundary of the Mariinsk district up the river to Khaba- 
 rovsk, about 127 miles. The district is very similar to the Mariinsk 
 
FISHING IN" THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 
 
 29 
 
 district. In 1913 there were 39 free fishing stations in tiie district, 
 aEotted to 20 Russian and 19 native villages, and 3 commercial 
 fishing stations. 
 
 According to official reports 278,514 fish were caught in 1913, i. e., 
 268,514 autumn chum salmon at the free stations and lO.OOO at the 
 commercial stations. About 154,000 fish were used for home con- 
 sumption, the balance being sold fresh and salted in tlu> neighboring 
 markets. 
 
 Sturgeon fishing is greatly developed in this district; about 4,623 
 sturgeon, weighing over 34 tons, were registered in the 1913 catch, 
 but the actual number is very much higher, as many fish were not 
 registered. In addition to sturgeon, about 158 tons of pike, bream, 
 carp, crucian carp, sheatfish, etc., were caught by the peasants. 
 
 SUMMARY OF CATCH IN 1913. 
 
 The total number of fish caught in the waters of the Russian Far 
 East, and the quantity of product prepared there, m 1913, is as 
 follows : 
 
 Number of Fish Caught. 
 
 Districts: 
 
 Salmon. 
 
 Dolly 
 
 Varden 
 trout. 
 
 Herring. 
 
 King. 
 
 Chum. 
 
 Humpback. 
 
 Sockeye. 
 
 Coho. 
 
 Khabarovsk 
 
 
 278,514 
 
 1,062,516 
 
 18, 262, 373 
 
 138, 750 
 
 77, 279 
 
 1,235,050 
 
 4,468,331 
 
 7, 519, 272 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mariinsk . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 7, 468, 794 
 
 657, 981 
 
 184,524 
 
 245,266 
 
 27, 343, 537 
 
 3,271,592 
 
 
 
 
 12,600 
 40,919,600 
 4,482,500 
 
 
 
 
 1,915 
 
 11,824 
 
 
 
 
 Okhotsk 
 
 
 
 3,198 
 101,471 
 152, 823 
 
 17,035 
 104,750 
 18,671 
 
 West Kamchatka 
 
 East Kamchatka 
 
 9,507 
 31, 482 
 
 i, 521, 276 
 
 859, 701 
 
 100,000 
 88, 740 
 
 Total 
 
 40,989 
 
 33, 042, 085 
 
 39,171,694 
 
 2,380,977 
 
 259, 407 
 
 152, 280 
 
 45, 603, 440 
 
 
 
 Products Prepared for Market. 
 
 Districts. 
 
 Khabarovsk 
 
 Mariinsk 
 
 Nikolaievsk 
 
 Southwestern 
 
 Sakhalin 
 
 Okhotsk 
 
 West Kamchatka 
 East Kamchatka. 
 
 Total 
 
 Salmon. 
 
 Herring. 
 
 For 
 European 
 market. 
 
 For 
 Japanese 
 market. 
 
 For For 
 European! Japanese 
 market. ! market. 
 
 1 
 
 Tons. 
 415 
 
 Tons. 
 
 Tons. 
 
 Tom. 
 
 2,672 
 
 42,944 
 
 310 
 
 101 
 
 741 
 
 
 
 7,204 
 533 
 
 277 
 2,867 
 
 3 
 
 784 
 38 
 
 i,"88i 
 
 274 
 
 5,331 
 4,180 
 
 37,422 
 21,473 
 
 56,694 69,776 
 
 848 
 
 2,155 
 
30 FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 
 
 Miscellaneous Fishes Prepared by Districts. 
 
 Species. 
 
 Khabar- 
 ovsk. 
 
 Nikolai- 
 evsk. 
 
 South- 
 western. 
 
 West 
 Kam- 
 chatka. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Sturgeon 
 
 Tons. 
 34 
 
 Tons. 
 113 
 
 Tom. 
 
 Tons. 
 
 Tons. 
 147 
 
 
 
 45 
 
 
 45 
 
 
 
 
 166 
 50 
 29 
 
 125 
 
 
 166 
 
 Smelt 
 
 
 
 
 50 
 
 
 
 
 
 29 
 
 Crab 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 130 
 
 Sea kale 
 
 
 
 1,867 
 594 
 
 1,867 
 
 Other 
 
 158 
 
 548 
 
 
 1,300 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total . 
 
 192 
 
 661 
 
 2,876 
 
 5 
 
 3,734 
 
 
 JAPANESE INTEREST IN RUSSIAN FISHERIES. 
 EXPORTS FROM RUSSIAN FAR EASTERN WATERS TO JAPAN. 
 
 The "Vyestnik Finansof, Promyshlennosti i Torgovli" (Messenger 
 of Finance, Industry and Commerce; No. 50, of Dec. 13 to 26, 1915) 
 gives the following statistics of the exports of fish from the Priamur 
 district to Japan from 1907 to 1913, inclusive, showing the per cent 
 of increase or decrease in each year as compared with the preceding: 
 
 Years. 
 
 1907 
 1908 
 1909 
 1910 
 
 Quantity. 
 
 Value. 
 
 Increase 
 
 ( + )or 
 decrease 
 ( — ) com- 
 pared with 
 preceding 
 
 year. 
 
 Years. 
 
 Tom. 
 34,058 
 40,944 
 61,225 
 71,572 
 
 $1,421,398 
 1,867,690 
 2,419,442 
 2,690,072 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 +21 
 
 +48 
 + 18 
 
 1911 
 1912 
 1913 
 
 Quantity. 
 
 Tons. 
 
 105, 821 
 65,513 
 92,270 
 
 Valug. 
 
 Increase 
 ( + )or 
 
 decrease 
 
 ( — ) com- 
 pared with 
 
 preceding 
 year. 
 
 Per cent. 
 $3,614,077 I +32.38 
 
 3,046,623 I -3&08 
 
 3,460,260 I +13.34 
 
 According to the kind of fish or products, the exports of 1913 con- 
 sisted of the following: 
 
 Product. 
 
 Quantity. 
 
 Value. 
 
 $1,898,495 
 
 1,138,693 
 
 109,721 
 
 257,947 
 
 18,635 
 
 Product. 
 
 Quantity. 
 
 Value. 
 
 Chiun salmon 
 
 Tons. 
 
 38,481 
 
 47,987 
 
 2,383 
 
 2,025 
 
 730 
 
 Caviar 
 
 Tons. 
 436 
 228 
 
 $25, 805 
 10 964 
 
 Humpback .salmon. . 
 
 other 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 Canned fish 
 
 QO 970 
 
 3,460,260 
 
 Herring 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 The localities or districts from whence these goods were shipped 
 were as follows: 
 
 Districts. Quantity. 
 
 Value. 
 
 Districts. Quantity. 
 
 Value. 
 
 Tons. 
 Kamchatka 62,900 
 
 $2,889,734 
 141, 106 
 141.597 
 117,981 
 
 1 Sakhalin 
 
 Tons. 
 701 
 3,110 
 
 $30, 647 
 
 Nikolaievsk 2, 738 
 
 Maritime Province 
 
 139, 168 
 
 
 Total 
 
 
 Okhotsk !.'.!!!!!!!!!!! 2' 6.')2 
 
 75,601 
 
 3,460,233 
 
 
 
 
FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBF>RIA. 
 
 31 
 
 iin- 
 
 These goods woro shipped to various Ja))niicsc ])orts. The 
 portance of these ports as fish markets may be seen from the following 
 figures which give the amount of fish landed during the ])eri()d 1 OH- 
 IO 13, in percentages of the grand total of imports: 
 
 Hakodate. 
 Yokohama 
 Ningata. . . 
 
 Otani 
 
 Fnsiki 
 
 1911 
 
 P(r cent. 
 (i4.9 
 10. 
 7.9 
 5.9 
 4.8 
 
 1912 
 
 Per cent. 
 (is. 4 
 10.1 
 8.3 
 .i.2 
 4.1 
 
 1913 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 73. 7.5 
 
 9.38 
 
 7. 84 
 
 3.29 
 
 2.92 
 
 Forts. 
 
 Tsiinipa 
 .Aomari. 
 Others.. 
 
 1911 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 3.f. 
 
 1.1 
 
 1.19 
 
 1.1 
 
 1.4 
 
 ..% 
 
 1.2 
 
 1.4 
 
 1.04 
 
 1913 
 
 100 
 
 JAPANESE FISHING STATIONS. 
 
 The Japanese Advertiser of March 22, 1016, had the following in 
 reference to Japanese fishing stations in the Russian far eastern 
 waters: 
 
 Owing to the increased demand for tinned fish as provisions of war, the attention 
 of industrial circles has been directed to fishing enterprises. The fishing along the 
 coast provinces of Asiatic Russia has been made the object of much interest and com- 
 petition among the Japanese and Russians. Though various knotty prol)lems that 
 impaired the interest of the Japanese have recently been settled in their favor by the 
 lenient attitude of the Russian authorities, the Japanese have now been hard hit by 
 the increase of the lease rate for the fishing zone. According to the statement of Mr. 
 Matsuzaki, Eirector of the Marine Industry Bureau, the tender for the present year 
 for the lease of fishing zones in the -coast provinces has resulted in the loss of 26 zones 
 for the Japanese side from that of last year. The quotations have risen remarkably, 
 evidently because of the ever-increasing demand for preserved fish. For instance, a 
 zone for which the Imperial Marine Goods Co., obtained the lease last year at 6,660 
 yen. has gone to a Russian concern at 21,000 yen. Another zone which a Japanese 
 firm obtained at only 3,100 yen last year, has also gone to a Russian firm at 22,000 yen. 
 The inability of the Japanese to bid higher may partly be ascribed to the shortage of 
 ships and the rise in the charter rate, but the real reason is the Russian competition, 
 caused by the prosperity in the trade in fish. 
 
 The fishing enterprise in the coast provinces has formerly been practically monopo- 
 lized by Japanese. But the recent development in fishing has attracted the attention 
 of Russian business men, and they have obtained the financial help of foreign capi- 
 talists interested and scored a success in the campaign. The fishing enterprise 
 requires large and perfect tinning plants, but the Russians lack these plants, and it is 
 easy to imagine that the foreign capitalists, ha\'ing the plants at their disposal, have 
 invested capital in backing the Russian fishermen. Mr. Matsuzaki has warned the 
 Japanese fishing firms to beware of this new development. 
 
 The following is a table showing the number of fishing zones leased to Japanese and 
 Russians for this and last year and the amounts of the leases: 
 
 
 Number of fishing zones. 
 
 Amount of lease. 
 
 
 Japanese. 
 
 Russian. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Japanese. 
 
 Russian. 
 
 Total. 
 
 1915. . 
 
 231 
 
 205 
 
 34 
 42 
 
 265 
 247 
 
 Yr.n.a 
 702,244 
 
 Yen. 
 143,118 
 
 y-fTi. 
 845,3*^2 
 
 1916 
 
 723,585 170,278 
 
 893, 8C3 
 
 
 
 
 
 a A yen is equal to about $0,498. 
 
 o 
 
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