Review of dolphinfish biological and fishing data in Japanese waters

Abstract

The dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) performs seasonal migrations into adjacent waters of Japan, where it is exploited by several fisheries. The annual dolphinfish landings in Japan have tended to decrease in recent years. Between 1993 and 1995, the mean annual catch was 9962 metric tonnes. This total catch corresponded to the following fishing methods: set net fishery 24.9%, skipjack pole and line fishery 21.2%, surrounding net fishery (which is mainly comprised of the shiira-zuke fishery) 12.9%, longline fishery 10.2%, other angling fisheries 10.3%, and other fisheries 20.5%. In the shiira-zuke fishery, fishermen catch dolphinfish and other fishes gathering around bamboo rafts (called tsukegi) with a purse seine net. Major fishing grounds of this fishery are situated in the western Japan Sea and off the south Pacific Japanese coast. The use of floating FADs to create productive fishing areas is of ecological interest. In this paper we describe this fishery, and review the biological characteristics of dolphinfish with regard to ecology and fishing conditions.