(1)

Conteninated Tuna.

(2) Apprehansion of long-range contaminatior of Japan and its fishing grounds.

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(3)

Radiological factors affecting the fishermen:

(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 latter half of March as the "great tuna panic". The 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 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 tunr
was a subject of popular conversation, When one considers the reaction
of the informed American pubJic to the possibilites of contamination of
tuna it is not. surprising that the Japanese were stampeded into apprehension over the immediatc prospects of their eating radioactive tuna
and the long-range p¥ospects of their fishing grounds being ruined.

(A)
'

-

Tuna Fishing Industry of Japan L/

The Japanese fishing fleet at the present *imre consiz.. of -6u

1,000 vessels operating out of ten major ports. The annual value of the
tuna catch approxinates $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 K-y
through July. During this season, the fishing grounds are located
relatively cluse to the Asiatic coast,
During the winter months, January through Iarch, the Japanese
vessels range far out to sea. The winter season accounts for forty

percent of the annual catch,

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a) w

(8B)

é Qtuna.

:

Contaminated Tuna in Japan

|

The Fukuryu Maru landed at Yaizu with a catch of 26,000 pounds of

8 taminated and that the decision of the Japanese to dispor>: of those

T.

2

We must accept the fact that these tuna were excessively con-

An excellent report “of technical information apour os.

©, ese

tuna fisheries in Japan is report No. 10 issued by the Natural ve~
sourG3s Section of SCAP in March, 1948.

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