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Svetovidov9 A. N.
'
Fluctuations in catch of the SoutheSakhalig herrine apd.their e causes.
Zeologicheskil Zhurnal 31(6) 0 Me5cow9 1952 » pp. 831-842.
Translated from the Russian by Dr. C. Mares » Pacific Biological Station »
Nanaimo 9 B. C. (Figures omitted)'.
•
During the past 30 years there have been considerable changes in the
catch of herring along the coaets of South Sakhalin and Hokkaido. Since
the early 1920e and up to the end of the 19300us the catch was decreasing
finally reaching an unprecedented minimum near the Island of Hokkaido.
However9 during the same period the catches near South Sakhalin were increaeing. Subeequently 9 the catches in both areas dropped to a cataetrephical low level for a short p ,#riod » after which » there was a gradual
improvement lasting till the preeent time. However 9 the previous high level
has not yet been attained.
This decline in the catch of one of the most abundant races of Pacific
herring initiated a series of investigations conducted by Japanese
The
scientlets 9 Araki and Tanaka9 with a view to determining the causes.
usual reasons such as intensive fishing of autumn herring 9 catch of immature fishee a d the colleeting of eggs are not an adequate explanation
in this case.
The most logical factor of ail » change of hydrological con-
ditions 9 has not been appreciated to its fullest extent by the afore•
-1
,•
•
mentioned authors° This factor seems to have originated a series of changes
in the geographical distribution of many organ/ems among them such fish as
the Far
g'..19.8t
sardine (Sargliks saeax melanoatica) which appeared at the
shores of P,rimorie during the period when the herring catches decreased
near Hokkaido and when they increased at the Aniva Bay.
The Pacific herring (sefflle haren as zellee) like other subspecies of
the ocean herring is divided into several local races. The decline in catch
of the South Sakhalin-Hokkaido race has to be considered in relation to the
fluctuations of the whole species.
The herring of other areas of the Japanese
Sea belong to different races (dekastrinsk » plastunsk-helminsk » korean)
having a narrower area and smaller populations. These races also experienced
fluctuations during the same period as the South Sakhalin-Hokkaido race did
although for different reasons.
As seen in fig. 1 the fluctuation in the catches during the last 70
years in the above-mentioned area dropped in 1938 to less than 1 million tons
which was lower than the first catches of the 1870°s0 The peak 'was in
1897 (10 million tons).
Until 1920 » the main catches were those from Hokkaido.
The drop which
occurred ln these local catches as well as in the total catch from the whole.
area of S. Sakhalin-Hokkaido was due to the change of fishing grounds from
--eeHokkaido to South Sakhalin by the Japanese after they occupied the latter
from Russia. In 1938 the catches in the Hokkaido area dropped to 128.25
tons after a long period of gradual decline during which the total catch of
South Sakhalin-Hokkaido herring remained at the previous » high level due to
the steady develOpment of a fishery in the southerympart of Sakhaniffio
The Inereaee of catches in the eouthern part of Sakhalin occurred during
three periods2 first » between 1921-1929 a slight increase occurred near the
eastern shores; second » betweeY 1924 4931 there was a quick increase of
catches in Aniva Bay» and finally betwen 1930 4936 a small increase of
catches tear the western shores of the above-mentioned area. In'each case »
of abundance was followed by a period of decline'.
thisperod
-
e-a
tce
Simultaneously with the increase of catches in the eastern part of the
•
S. Sakhalin-Hokkaido herring fisheries the catches near Hokkaido decreased
Neverthe1ess 9 the reduction of total catches in the whole area wae
part of a eadden drop in catch that occurred in all sectors during and after
1936e particularly after the eatastrophicaldrop In both Hokkaido and South
West Sakhalin areas.
During the past 30 years the fluctuations of herring fisheries in S.
Sakhalin-Hokkaido area occurred in several successive periode durinà the
first period there were no particular fluctuations in total catches but
major fluctuations of catches occurred in all eub-areae; during the second
periodp a much shorter period 9 (1935-1938) 9 a considerable drop in total
catch occurred corresponding to a reduction in catch in all eub-areas.
After'1938 9 the catches rose at the beginning but they never reached the
maxima or minima of previous years, Finally 9 after 1944 the catches began .
to drop indicating a tendency towards a major reduction in the•future.
The abov a mentioned figures were taken from Japanese statistics and are
baeed upon catches of the fall 9 epawning herring 9 disregarding the young»
immature or fattening herring.
The same figures are found in a eeries of
Japanese papers dealing with the problem. (Kuragemi 9 Kovana and others),
What are the causes reeponeible for this'complicated character of
fluctuations in abundance of the S. Sakhalin-Hokkaido herring?
One of the possible causes could be a result of increased fishing
•
intensity. Howeverp there le no indication of a large increae in the amount
of fishing gear during the crâtical period. An inereaeed Intensity of
r t,
fishing by existing methods could not poesibly result in euch a catastrophical decline of catches as happened between 1936-1938. There are no
reasons for aesuming that the fluctuatione of catches that occurred in
several sectors during the first period were produced by changes in intensity
of fishing? 10e. 9 reduction of fishing gear in one Sector and increase in
another. According to data at hand (Tanaka 9 12) . during the period of 1931-
1937 when the largest fluctuations in catches occurred in the southern part
of Sakhalin9 the total number of large gill-net s used in that area fOr
fishing of fall herring remained stable (fig.2) 9 whereas 9 the total number
of small gill-nets decreased (from 2178 to 1448) after 1935 the number of
purse seines doubled between 1934-19370
Despite many changes in the intensity of fishing.that took place in
different sector? of S. Sakhalin during the critical te there is no
evidence of a correlation -xisting between the amount of fishing gear and
the small catches.
4 is obvious that the fluctuation of catches in
.
different sectors of Sakhalin was not caused by changes in amount of fishing
gear used 9 on the contrary9 the increase or decrease of catches.caused the
changes in fishing intensity.
The fluctuations of catches were c'aused by
the fluctuations of herring populations 6 . The fact is confirmed by the average catch of one fishing gear in relation to catches obtained in various
sectors and to the quantity of fishing gears used.
The data given by the
sanie author for the same period (1931-1937 9 fig. 3) fully agrees with the
. fluctuatio. of catches near Aniva Bay and in S.Td. Sakhalin (fig. 1) 0 .At
the time of the largest catches near Aniva Bay (1931) the average catch of
one fishing gear was the largest also. A similar correlation applies to_
the subsequent periods of decrease (1933) 9 increase (1934) 9 and of the final
decline of catches (1935).
It can be observed that the catch curves and
those of average catch corresponding to the years in question (figs. 1 9 5
and 3 9 1 9 2) indicate at two points in Aniva Bay catche:' (Ozerskoji9
Korsakov) a peculiarly identical picture.
increase of catches which occurred in
So
In the same
way 9
the moderate
W. Sakhalin during 1934 corresponds
to a moderate increase of average catches during that and the following
year. The rather big decrease of average catches which occurred at one
point (Tchekhov) in 1936 was probably determined by the increase in number
of fishing gear that began in 1933 and reached a maximum in 1936. Finally p
the general decline of catches in B. W.. Sakhalin in 1937 resulted in the
proportional reduction of average catches except for one sector (Oholmsk)
where an exceptionally good run of spawning herring took place.
In all
three points of Aniva Bay the average catches dropped considerably in 1932
as compared with 1931 although the amount of fishing gear did not change
•
appreciably.
In 1934 the average catch increased a little irrespective of
the larger quantity of small gill-nets and the unchanged quantity of the
larger ones used.
In 1935 and later 9 both total and average catches were
practically reduced to zero and this resulted in the reduction of the number
of large gill-nets as well as small gill nets.
The intensity of fishing does exert a substantial influence on the
fluctuation of the S. Sakhalln-Hokkeido herring population in any one of
the fishing areas. As far as pelagic fishing is concerned fish appear
extremely resistant to commercial fishing and the danger of overfishing is
rarely a problem. However o this general point of view is true only in case
of large stocks such as the S. Sakhalin-Hokkaido population and not for
smaller populations which can be seriously affected by intensive fishing.
Another possible reason causing the reduction of stock of the S.
Sakhalin-Hokkaido herring could be the fishing of immature herring.
This
type of fishing which amounted to some 20-490 thousand tons during 1922-1937
in South Sakhalin and was responsible for relucing the stocks of herring in
this area However 9 even this factor could not possibly be the only cause •
of these catch fluctuations.
The greatest mber of immature herring were . found at Aniva Bay (near
Korsakov) where the *atches took an upward trend. ,No substantial influence
upon the catastrophical reduction of the stocks could be exerted by the
operation of such factors as egg.mortallty 9 deposition of eggs in gill-nete p
or the gathering of egga on spawning grounds.
Thus 9 the fluctuations of catches of S.. S.akhalin Hpkka4o herring in
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various fishing areas and their final catastrophical decline in 1937°1938
e. ppears
to be a reflection of a change in abundance of a complicated nature
that has been the result of changes in important environmental factors.
First1y9 there was a change of hydrological factors in this fishing area
caused by changes in the Kuroshio current that resulted in the warming up
or cooling down of these regions. This ban% hydrological change affeotWi
not only the herring fisheries but also the ear East sardine,flaheries
(Smidt 14) 0 It resulted 9 partly9 in reversing the periods of warm and cold
weather. In certain areae of the Japanese Sea» such as the Bay of T'eter the
Great or on the Primorie goast many warm water fishes appeared that had
never been reported before. Until 19149 there were only 10 species along
the coasts of Primorie. 7n 1928 this number increased to 329 ln 1937 te 45.
In the following years this mber started to decrease again and in 1944=
1945 there were only 10 species present again (numancev 9 6)„ , Among theae
warm water fishes the subtropical Far East sardine appeared in large scho040
The sardines appeared as far North as the eastern coast of Xamchatka and
were caught by Soviet fishermen in quantities exceeding 1 million tons yearly.
- 7 With the oncoming cold yeare the catches dropped rapidly and since 19401942 they represent only a small percentage of the catches even in Japan
and Korda.
The warming up of the central part of the Japanese Sea 9 which started
between 1922-1924 » caused changee in the catch of herring in varioue fishing
areas as shown during the first peried. It affected first the catohes in
the most southerly districts near Hokkaido at about the same time the
general reduction of catches began.
The southern border of the distribution
of herring in the Pacifie Ocean le located near the western coast of Japan
not far southward from Hokkaido (Toama Bay) and as a result the impact of
the warming up of the Kuroohlo was felt the greatest there. This deereaee
in one area did not cause a general decrease in the total catch of the S.
Sakhalin-Hokkaido herring because it was accompanied by a conelderable
increase of catches in colder eaetern and more northerly areas. It ie
possible that the fish migrated to these colder areas and later on paseed
from eaetern to western sectors near Hokkaido » S.W. coast of Sakhalin and
Aniva Bay (fig. 1).
The change of hydrological conditions can determine the movements of
marine creatures in two ways2 1.
The populations may move along with warmer
water masses from one area to another such as the movemento of North Atlantic
fieh populations. 2. The populations may move away from places invaded by
warmer water masses toward other place having more favourable conditions
such as the movements of young Atlantic herring toward the colder areas
the Narmn years and gave rise to larger
north of the Siberian
. _ coast during
catches in 1948 9 1946 and earlier (Tambovcev 9 10).
At the present time there i8 no data on hand to tell the age of the
herring populations neming aronnd from the shores of Hokkaido toward Aniva
Bay and the 50 W0 coast of Sakhalin. Were these populations composed Of .
immature yearlings of fully matured fish?
The first possibility aeeme to
be indicated by the decline of catches near Hokkaido after 1926 with simultaneous increase of catches at Aniva Bay ae well as the sudden drop of
catches at the latter place in 1932-1933 9 accompanied by anincreaoe near
Hokkaido and faster upward trend near the S.W. coaat of Sakhalin after
1933.
The relationahip between herring caught near Hokkaido and those caught
at Aniva Bay Is admitted although very cautiouely 9 by many Japanese writerse
According to Fujito and Kokabo (15) 9 the Antra Bay herring is in itself a
species from the western coaot of Hokkaido which after paesing through
Tsusim current toward Laperuza Straits reaches Aniva Bay. A very close
relationship of both populations in suggested by these authors baeed on
comparable fluctuation of catches near Cape Soia on North Hokkaido coaet
and at Aniva Bay. Apparently this is also the case with the young herring
from the western coast of Hokkaido which after spending the larval stage
here migrate to the sea and toward Laperuza Strait. Many observations confirm that after passing through the currents these herring are captured in
large quantities near the S. E. coast of Hokkaido (province of Kitami) and
apparently move even more eastwardly and are captured at Aniva Bay.
In
connection with the catches of this population near the coaets of the province
Kitami and at Aniva Bay there are variations of intensity in the subsequent
runs of spawning herring toward the shores of Hokkaido (Hokkaido Fishery ,
Station » 13).
Thus,» the successive fluctuations of catches in various sectors and the
fragmentary bielogical findings suggest the hypothesis that under the
influence of warm weather there occurred a migration of herring populations
from one area to another. This migration toward the essentially Okhotsk
Sea water masses apparently produced unfavourable conditions for the reproduction of the $. Sakhalin-Hokkaido herring population and caused a
reduction of stocks and a decline of catches in all fishing areas. It is
striking how fast the catches dropped down after a considerable part of
the herring population moved over to Aniva Bay. Unfortunately we have not
sufficient knowledge concerning the nature of the influence of warm years
upon the biology of herring and as a cause of reduced abundance. In this
connection let us mention that the relation of the Aniva Bay to the Japanese
Sea is the same as the relation of Behrens or White Sea to the Norwegian
Sea.
The Murmansk herring reproduce in the northern part of the Norwegian.
Sea near the coasts of Lofot Islands. Until the time of sexual maturity
they romain in the Behrens Sea and sometimes in the White Sea but in
neither region does spawning take place.
According to available data the S. Sakhalin-Hokkaido herring is composed of both immature and mature fish. The fish reproduce here but
their offsprings are not numerous.
In any case their numbers decrease after
the herring began spawning in Aniva Bay and these new generations appeared
in the fisheries.
When the cooling down of this area occurred at the end of 1930 the
abundance of this population increased slightly. A steady cooling resulted
in an unusually abundant generation in 1939 and the less but still abundant
generations of 1940 _and 1942.
These generations » especially the 1939 year-
class appeared in the fisheries as three and four year fish in 1942-1943
-10 -
and eaused'a further increase of catches ln 1944 the year of maximum catches.
This cold period was accompanied in our waters by the disappearance of the
Far East sardine and other warm water species (Rumiancev 6). (On the other
hand » it produced an increase in abundance of herring and of catches in
all sectors of the Japaneee Sea near Hokkaido and S. W. coaste of Sakhalin.
However » the Sc, Sakhalin-Hokkaido herring population at this timo never
reached the level of the years preceding the general warming up of this area »
» is given by the smaller catches as compared to thoee of
previous years.
evidncofwh
The reason for this is that the total population at the
beginning of thie period was not large » indeed » it was the lowest on record.
It is conceivable that small numbers of spawning herring could not produce
generations comparable to those produced during the years of great abundance.
After 1944 the catches decreased. This decrease was the beginning of
a new warm period during which S. Sakhalin-Hokkaido herring population wao
likely to drop even more.
The influence of this warming up would probab1y
be reflected first in thecatches of herring near Hokkaido.
In fact » these
catchee already had decreased to a very low level. It would be too daring
to forecast that this new warm period will be followed by a similar migration
of herring and by a similar sequence of fluctuations in catches that had
occurred previously.
One thing is certain » that » if thie warming up reaches
the saine degree as before it will result in a generally reduced abundance
and subsequently a decline in the total catch will occur as happened at the
end of the last similar period. We do not have temperature variation data
relating to the warm and cold periods prior to thp beginning of this century
and we do not have any data concerning the years immediately preceding the
last warming up. However » we are inclined to believe that the last warm
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period whieh started during 1922-1924 wao an exception, at least p on the
baele of aby of the 50 yeare preeeding it. The intensive fishing and the
high catches on the coaet of Hokkaido at the end of 18704 unLil the 1920's
never underwent a eimilar deeline in catch. The only deeldnep whioh occurred
between 1904-1912 p wae of a minor nature.
It is obviouely even more difficult to predict if the preeent warm
period will bring about aimilar fluctuations in catch in the fishing areea
of southern Sakhalin as took place during the last period. It le, houevere,
clear that the eventual migration of herring populations from Hokkaido to
the fi$hing are of southern Sekhalln will not remit in an Increene of
catches comparable in sise to the inoreaee that occurred during the preioua
wave period becalm the numbere of this population will be legs than thoeo
of the correeponding generation in the previous warm period.
•
The dominant yeareclase in the paet yearse catches wae the 1939
generationp - which in 1951 9 reached its 12th year of age, an exceptional
age for the 6° Sakhalin-Hokkedo population° uring the /4D year period it
wae always the 8-year-old fieh that dominated the catches in the Hokkaido
and South Sakhalin re
one., The absolute numbers of the 1939 generatiQn
probably did not 8e:used thooe of other abundant clapees. HoweverD due to
a low total abundance of the 60,3a3thalinceekkaido population and to the low
abundance of other yeareclasses 9 the relative importance of thiegeneration
te the oatehes wa$ considerable and coneidering its percentage In existing
catches it will have to be considered for a few years to comee Whie
phenomenon ha$ a parallel at the beginning of the 20th century in the abundance of the Norwegian herring which ohowed almost the same age
_ composition
as the SeeSekhalin-Hokkaido population° The Norwegianlerring population of
e 12 those yeara was characterized by an extremely abundant yearclass of 1904.,
The first appearance of thià pOpulation came in 1907 when it reached 3 yeare
Ji
of age (1 0 6% Of catches)°, 'Tt'tdas dominant in ail catches during 1908-1918
(78.01-31.6) and it stillibréd'a considerable portion of the catches between
1919-1922 (24 0 8-9 0 6%) and ifUaé. still present in the catches between 19231927 (309'105%)9 (Sund s 19) °
The decline in herring catches at the beginning of the 1930s occurred
in other fishing areas of the Japanese Sea inhabited by smaller ° separate
races of herring. Nevertheless s even though these populations were unfavourably affected by the period of warming up the reduction of their
numbers was caused basically through over-fishing according to the opinion
of the Pacific Scientific Fishery Institute.
Up to date it has not been possible to say in which particular stage
of development the abundance of herring was affected by hydrographical
changes and if it caused their migration frm one area to anothere uae it
the adult stage s or the larval stage s or the juvenile stage. Did it affect
their food s their fertility s the spawning conditions or the hatching.
The
investigations on the related White Sea, herring (Ulm haemps pgiml n.
marisalbi - see Svetovidov 8) establiehed the fact that the generations
resulting from years having high ocean temperatures have small numbers s
fast growth 9 and early maturity.
The generations from cold years are more
abundants smaller in size and reach their maturity later than the former
ones. (See Tambovtsev 10). Thus » an waters would Indicate a reduction
of stocks and cool waters suggeot an abundance of stocks.
The same ha e
been observed in the case of the North Atlantic codfish (16).
The abundance
of the Pacific herring probably decreases during the warm years. It iss
-13therefore » recommended that when warming up periods occur that appropriate
measures should be adopted in order to protect the spaWn. The poselbility
arises also that during the warm period the S. Sakhalin-Hokkaido herring
population on moving easterly found less favourable conditions in the new
habitats for the survival of the fry.
This conclusion seems to be confirmed
by the observation that during the reproduction of this population near
Hokkaido the young larval herring are found near a current zone and from
there they move farther east through the Luperuza Straits. It ha$ been
observed that although the same process takes place in Aniva Bay the young
herring have not the same chance for migrating. It is further possible that
amidst the new» Okhotsk Sea waters in Aniva Bay the S. Sakhalin-Hokkaido
herring» whose life cycle passes through all phases of development in the
Japanese Sea water masses » did not have the correct food available when
required during the transitional larval stage when active feeding begins*.
This lack of available food during the period of maximum warming up
could occur in the Japanese Sea as well. And actually» a considerable part
of the herring spawned for several years in Aniva Bay (fig. 1) after the
period of maximum of warming.
At the time when there should have been
entering the fishery the year-classes resulting from these spawnings
catches dropped suddenly to a very low level not only in Aniva Bay but also
in other sectors.
•
Irg
* This :Idea was - suggeeed to - the weiter by B.P0 Manteufél and -seems to be
Confirmed by the - data giVen - by - P. - SôleiM (Calises - Of rich and poor - year- "
classes of herring». %pt. NOrw. Fish. and När0 InVeàt. VIT. 20 1942). It
has been eStabliehed - bY this- author that herring larvae - pass through - a
critical stage iffimediately - after absorbihg the - yolk Sac. Thé cause of
high » larval mortality -11es in the ladk of suitable food generally consisting of eggs and nauplii of crustaceans.
s
REFeRENŒB
of reduetioD of Hokkaido herring otocks 9 Bull.
1 0 Arall 9 X.0
of %arv,h on Sea Products 9 15 9 HoleAldo St» Obru»
1926.
2. Berg» P. S.
- Recent climatic fluctuations and thoir inrliu,nce on
eigrationc of fishe 9 Probl0 ples. geogr. 11 9 1-"?.35.
3.
---.
Ocourrance of boccial fishee in Bahraw Sea. '1-6 , p(A.-it.cl%
Almanach» 1939 0
Gorodintchij 9 A. E. - Stock fluctuations of some fishes In Prlmorit: and
their relation to oceanographical conditions. UNIRO 9
9, 1949.
5 , Probatoly » A. N. - Oceryurreeco of warm sea fishes near Saidialin 9 DAN
imn
LUVI 9 19 1951.
6. Rumlancev 9 A. E.- Ghangec In distribution of the warm
Cea
ichthyeauna
in the Perimorie waters of the japanese Sea. Zool.
:rourn. 259 1 9 1947.
- New ullaeo of fînding of rare fiDMs. Paelf. VeRO, 35,
76
1951.
8. Sqetovidov9 A. N. - Ou some blological pecullaritleîi, of the P9olfic herring
and theJr caust=iso Facif. VNIE0 9 319 1949
9. Ole) 'lei.
- S o Sakhalin herring. Aime, of S. Sakhe, Mue 1926
.
Tambovcev 9 Be, M.- Fisheries and stocks of White Sea herring » liNIR0 9 6 9 1947.
Henban:e in the
12 , Tanaka 9 D.
White
Sea. VNIE0 9 49 1949,,
- Rune of spawning S. Sakhalin herring and 'dynamics of- Catches
S o Sakh. Fie.
13. Hokka1do Fish Station - Possible catches of fall herring in 1945 9 ?rogne, 1944.
Sm4dt9 P jJ
Problem or' F. E. sardine » WIRO9 Ficho• 1 9 1945'.
156 rudgta T. and Xokui $. - Studies on herring. Bull. Soh. rish. Hokkaido Imp.
Sapporo,le le 1927.
4!
1.
16b golland.Hansen e, B. and Nansen F, • The Norwegian Se% its physical oceee*
r •
graphy. Pepte WorwulUsh. Màru Xnvest. e e 2e 190e,
Ooncerning a'ohange of climate during recent decades
jensone AduSs.
.
iii the Arotie and Subarotio. lpet. Danske Videnskabern Selskab. Biol. Med. 14 S e 1939.
Ï8à Xuragamip M 0 and Kowana e T. - Sun-spots and breeding e aomellate yield of
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5p 2p 19360
190 Sund e 1 0.'
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194.30