A Framework for Geographical Research on Modern Fisheries in Japan

This paper aims to review and present a framework for geographical research on modern fisheries through the examination of previous studies and the author's survey on Choshi. Geographical studies firstly must explain the development of modern fisheries centered on large fishing ports, since this is the way modern fisheries in Japan have developed. Large ports are cores of the fishing industries because of large quantity of fish, and they are the most important nodal points of fish distribution in production areas. The framework of “modern fisheries' space”, integrating large fishing ports and their related space, is sufficient to explain the spatial structure of modern fisheries. The modern fisheries' space consists of fishing space, fish landing and processing space, and fish distribution (consumers) space. These sub-spaces have been formed around the distribution routes of fish. The characteristics of such spaces are derived from the seasonality and periodicity of fishing. The basic structure of modern fisheries' space is similar to the distribution space of commodity goods in com-mercial society, which consists of areas of production, nodal points of distribution and areas of consumption. It is a structural characteristic of modern fisheries' space that resources in the production areas are aquatic organisms moving seasonally and periodically, and that limits of production have been conquered by accumulation and development of technology and facilities in the space.