(1)

Contaminated Tuna.

(2) Apprekansion of long-range contamination of Japan and its Nsh~
ing grows. -

(3)

Radiological factors affecting the fishermen:

(a) Estimating the whole body duse.
(bo)

Estimated dese from internal emitters.

Contaminated Tunas
Some of the Japanese Government officials are already referring to
the latter half of March as the "great tuna panic’, Tha origin of this

()

panic beth in the United States and Japan is worthy of careful study,

the extent of the tuna consumption in the United States and Japan declined
during the second half of March 1s now known to ne at this time. For
a@ day prior to my departure from New York on March 19, and for 2 weeks
following my arrival in Tokyo on March 22 the subject of radioactive tuna
was a subject of popular conversation. When one considers the reaction
of the informed American public to the possibilites of contamination of

tuna it is not surprising that the Japanese were stampeded into apprehension over the immediate prospects of their eating radioactive tuna
and the long-range prospects of their fishing grounds being ruined.

(a)

Tuna FishingIndustry ef Japan L,’

The Japanese fishing ‘leet at the present time consists of about
1,000 vessels operating out of ten major ports. The annual value of the

tuna catch approximates $26 million.

The principal export species is

albacor. Sixty percent of the landed albacor catch went to Japanese
canners and forty percent was shipped abroad in freezers.
percent

of the albacor are caught in the summer season which extends frog May

through July.

relatively cluse to

’ €Ri's season, the Mishing grounis are located

Asiatic coast.

During the wihter mdhthy, January through March, the Jépanese
vessels range far cut to sea. The winter season accounts for forty

. percent of the annual catch,
(B)

Contaminated Tuna in Japan

The Fokuryu Maru Landed at Yaisu with a catch of 28,000 pounds of

tuna. We must accept the fact that these tuna were excessively contaminated and that the decision of the Japanese to dispose of those

Le

AM excellent report of technical information about the Japanese

Tuna fisheries in Japan is report No. <0 issued by the Natural Re~
sourcas Section of SCAP in March, 1948

om

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