Offshore fishing - Okiai gyogyo

This is a type of fishing carried out in the waters off the coast of Japan within the 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone by medium-sized fishing vessels of 10 tons or more. It is also called inshore fishing, a name corresponding to coastal fishing and deep-sea fishing. The main fishing methods are offshore bottom trawl, large and medium-sized purse seine, pacific saury pole-holding net, salmon and trout drift net, and squid fishing, and are aimed at abundantly caught fish and shellfish such as sardines, horse mackerel, mackerel, pacific saury, Alaska pollock, flatfish, and squid. However, the catch volume varies greatly from year to year because it depends on the sea conditions and fishing conditions. The production volume in 2008 was 2.58 million tons, a decrease of 92.2% compared to 1999. Many of these abundantly caught fish and shellfish are known as popular fish, and are relatively inexpensive. Therefore, it is not only an important source of animal protein in the human diet, but is also important as feed for captive animals and as fertilizer in agriculture, forestry and horticulture.

[Kiyoshi Yoshiwara]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

10トン以上の中型漁船によって200海里排他的経済水域内の日本近海で行われる漁業。沿岸漁業および遠洋漁業に対応した名称で、近海漁業ともいう。おもな漁業は、沖合底引網（底曳網）、大中型巻網（旋(まき)網）、サンマ棒受(ぼううけ)網、サケ・マス流し網、イカ釣りなどで、イワシ、アジ、サバ、サンマ、スケトウダラ、カレイ類、イカ類などの多獲性魚貝類を対象とするが、漁獲量は海況や漁況に関係するので、年度によって変動が大きい。2008年度（平成20）の生産量は258万トンであり、1999年（平成11）と比較すると92.2％に減少していた。これらの多獲性魚貝類には大衆魚と称される種が多く、価格も比較的安い。そのため人間の食生活上、重要な動物タンパク源であるばかりでなく、飼育動物の飼餌(じ)料や農林園芸の肥料としても重要である。

［吉原喜好］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例