(1)

Contaminated Tuna,

(2)

Apprehension of long-range contamination of Japan and its fish-

(3)

Radiological factors affecting the fishermen:

ing grounds,

(a)

Estimating the whole body duse,

(b)

Estimated dese from internal emitters.

Contaminated Tuna

Some of the Japanese Government officials are already referring to
The origin of this
panic both 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 is now known to me 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
ip 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 pYospects of their fishing grounds being ruined.

‘the latter half of March as the "great tuna, panic".

(A)

Tuna Fishing Industry of Japan L/

The Japanese fishing fleet 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. Sixty percent
of the albacor are caught in the summer season which extends from May
through July. During this season, the fishing grounds are located
relatively cluse to the Asietic coast.

|

During the winter months, January through March, the Japanese
vessels range far out to sea. The winter season accounts for forty
percent of the annual catch,

> G

(8B)

Contaminated Tuna in Japan

2s
£9
ge
The Fukuryu Maru landed at Yaizu with a catch of 28,000 pounds of
& Qtuna. We must accept the fact that these tuna were excessively con-

“9 taminated and that the decision of the Japanese to dispose of those
a

Or

L. fn excellent report of technical information about the Japanese
Tuna fisheries in Japan is report No. 10h issued by the Natural Resourc2s Section of SCAP in March, 19h8.
,
_

A

2
és

e y
of

c.
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Select target paragraph3