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Fisheries in Japan, vol. X. Crab
182 FISHERIES
IN JAPAN - CRABS
Fisheries in Japan, Vol. X. Crab, T. Sakai, T. Tomiyama, T. Hibiya (Editors). Japan Marine Products Photo Materials Association, Tokyo, 1983. 178 pp. of which 125 pp. colour photographs. The 10th volume of the series “Fisheries in Japan” is devoted to the crab family. It is in fact the pictorial history of this important group of commercial marine species and its fisheries as seen through the camera of Naomi Yoshikawa. It is a good thing that after an interval of 2 years, new energy has been found and problems solved to make a fresh start on the planning of further volumes in the series. The editors aim for volumes dealing with flatfish, molluscs (other than oyster and abalone), sardine and cod. The first product of the new effort is the volume dealing with the crab. As in the already published volumes, the book opens with short introductions, followed by the pictorial section, and concludes with a clear and informative chapter “Systematics, ecology and development of crabs” by Masatsume Takeda (27 pp.). Many species of crab are fished in Japanese waters. However, the really important species among the 72 species occurring are few, e.g. Chionoecetes opilio, Ch. japonicus, Erimacrus isenbeckii, Portunus trituberculatus and, in distant waters, Paralithodes.camschaticus. There are a further 13 species, some related to those mentioned, which are local but should not be disregarded. Also experiments are being undertaken to import foreign crab species for the Japanese market, e.g. Cancer magister and Callinectus sapidus (both from the U.S.A.). If this will meet with success has still to be seen. However, as Cullinectessupidus can be transferred with fruit to other regions, as is demonstrated by its occurrence in Turkey, perhaps here lies a possibility. The pictorial classification (in all 72 species are depicted and often both sexes) is a valuable contribution and could also form, on its own, a very useful leaflet for all involved in the crab fisheries and trade in Japanese waters. The anatomical photographs are very detailed. An interesting fact is that a toxic species, Zosimus aeneus, is found on coral reefs (e.g. those near the Ryukyu Islands). Throughout the world about 15 toxic species are known. For the layman the various stages of larval development of Paralithodes camschaticus (kingcrab), P. brevipes, Erimacrus isenbeckii and Chionoecetes opilio may seem out of focus. However, it is impossible to obtain better photographs than the ones given. It is advisable in future to print, next to the photographs, drawings of the same animal. It is further advisable that the proofs be read by someone well trained in the English language, to avoid unneccessary printing errors. These are really minor, let this be clear, but can easily be avoided. I can hardly believe the text on page 101 stating that the photographs were made “in stormy weather” as I estimate the windforce as l-2 Bft looking at the “waves”.
183
It is important that this valuable series on the Fisheries in Japan will be continued. The difficulties encountered on the financial level and described by Kaoru Tatara are partly met for this volume by the Japanese Industry, and I sincerely hope that this support will continue. The team responsible for the production of the present volume has again achieved the same high quality as in the previous nine volumes, not a mean task.
Rijksinstituut
S.J. de GROOT voor Visserijonderzoek, P.O. Box 68, 1970 AB IJmuiden (The Netherlands)
Book received An Ontogenetic Sketch of the Morphology of the Pacific Salmon (in Russian). N.S. Romanov. Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R., Far Eastern Science Centre, Institute of Sea Biology, Vladivostok, 1983. 15‘2 pp., 52 illus., 38 tables, 178 refs. Price Rub. 1.80.
IN JAPAN - CRABS
Fisheries in Japan, Vol. X. Crab, T. Sakai, T. Tomiyama, T. Hibiya (Editors). Japan Marine Products Photo Materials Association, Tokyo, 1983. 178 pp. of which 125 pp. colour photographs. The 10th volume of the series “Fisheries in Japan” is devoted to the crab family. It is in fact the pictorial history of this important group of commercial marine species and its fisheries as seen through the camera of Naomi Yoshikawa. It is a good thing that after an interval of 2 years, new energy has been found and problems solved to make a fresh start on the planning of further volumes in the series. The editors aim for volumes dealing with flatfish, molluscs (other than oyster and abalone), sardine and cod. The first product of the new effort is the volume dealing with the crab. As in the already published volumes, the book opens with short introductions, followed by the pictorial section, and concludes with a clear and informative chapter “Systematics, ecology and development of crabs” by Masatsume Takeda (27 pp.). Many species of crab are fished in Japanese waters. However, the really important species among the 72 species occurring are few, e.g. Chionoecetes opilio, Ch. japonicus, Erimacrus isenbeckii, Portunus trituberculatus and, in distant waters, Paralithodes.camschaticus. There are a further 13 species, some related to those mentioned, which are local but should not be disregarded. Also experiments are being undertaken to import foreign crab species for the Japanese market, e.g. Cancer magister and Callinectus sapidus (both from the U.S.A.). If this will meet with success has still to be seen. However, as Cullinectessupidus can be transferred with fruit to other regions, as is demonstrated by its occurrence in Turkey, perhaps here lies a possibility. The pictorial classification (in all 72 species are depicted and often both sexes) is a valuable contribution and could also form, on its own, a very useful leaflet for all involved in the crab fisheries and trade in Japanese waters. The anatomical photographs are very detailed. An interesting fact is that a toxic species, Zosimus aeneus, is found on coral reefs (e.g. those near the Ryukyu Islands). Throughout the world about 15 toxic species are known. For the layman the various stages of larval development of Paralithodes camschaticus (kingcrab), P. brevipes, Erimacrus isenbeckii and Chionoecetes opilio may seem out of focus. However, it is impossible to obtain better photographs than the ones given. It is advisable in future to print, next to the photographs, drawings of the same animal. It is further advisable that the proofs be read by someone well trained in the English language, to avoid unneccessary printing errors. These are really minor, let this be clear, but can easily be avoided. I can hardly believe the text on page 101 stating that the photographs were made “in stormy weather” as I estimate the windforce as l-2 Bft looking at the “waves”.
183
It is important that this valuable series on the Fisheries in Japan will be continued. The difficulties encountered on the financial level and described by Kaoru Tatara are partly met for this volume by the Japanese Industry, and I sincerely hope that this support will continue. The team responsible for the production of the present volume has again achieved the same high quality as in the previous nine volumes, not a mean task.
Rijksinstituut
S.J. de GROOT voor Visserijonderzoek, P.O. Box 68, 1970 AB IJmuiden (The Netherlands)
Book received An Ontogenetic Sketch of the Morphology of the Pacific Salmon (in Russian). N.S. Romanov. Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R., Far Eastern Science Centre, Institute of Sea Biology, Vladivostok, 1983. 15‘2 pp., 52 illus., 38 tables, 178 refs. Price Rub. 1.80.