Drying-grounds in the Fishing Villages of the Eastern Coast of Oshima Peninsula

Abstract

Drying-grounds are important especially for the fishermen collecting sea algae and shell-fishes, as well as those who catch the kinds of fishes which must be dried before shipping. In such villages, much care is paid for the chocie of the location and to maintain and improve the grounds. Thus the drying-grounds sometimes reflect the characteristics of fishing villages very well.Eastern coast of Oshima peninsula is a noted producing area of tangles which, in this country, are rather important and valuable sea product. Here drying-grounds are well developed, making a remarkable element of local landscape. Here, they are used to dry tangles, cattle-fishes, scallops, and various other fishes.As the drying process has much to do with the quality of the products, much work is done to maintain the drying-grounds. They are usually ballasted and then covered with mats or bamboo hurdless. Because of the sinking into sand, ballasts are to be refilled once in a while. The land value of drying-grounds is often higher than that of forests, arable lands, or even than house lost. Government land also is often used, and the occupancy of such land is authorized only to full-time fishermen.