PATTERNS OF FISHING VILLAGES DEPENDENT UPON FIXED-NET FISHERIES

Abstract

The fishing industry in Japan generally consists of two typical operations : one is high seas fisheries which are operated under capitalistic system, and the other coastal fisheries which have been traditionally operated in ordinary fishing villages. Some economic historians say that in the latter type of operation prevails “net-lord system”, in which a few upper-class fishermen who have fishing boats, nets and substantially ruled fishing ground, are to take charge of operations through employing other fishermen who do not own such means and let them work. They also point out that the upper-class fishermen have continued to place fishing operations under their own control, just as upperclass farmers did in farming operations from the Meiji Restoration. But, for all those views, questions are raised. In what form does the system of fishing villages remain today? Are there any regional difference to be found? To answer the questionsI take the case of fixed-net fisheries in which “net-lord system” seems to prevail most. The facts I obtained are as follows. The “net-lord system” is in the strict sense quite different from the landlord system; upper-class fishermen rent fishing grounds from their local fishing community, while landlords raise ground rents as land-owners. Fixed-net fisheries were originally operated under upper-class fishermen, financiers and commission; but they have gradually come to be operated by communities which obtained substantial ownership of fishing ground or under fishermen's cooperatives organized through joint investments of local fishermen. That trend prevailed in Western Japan f rem 1930, when capitalistic high seas fishery began to develop. On the other hand, cooperatives mainly by upper-class fishermen and the joint management by old net-lords with fishing cooperatives appeared in Eastern Japan with the reformation of fishing law after World War II.