Plural cognition of fishing grounds by coastal fishermen in the Shimauchi (Shimanaka) seas off the southeast coast of Izu Peninsula

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to clarify the diversity of the subjective environment, focusing on coastal fishing grounds and spots. The study area chosen comprised coastal waters bordered by the Izu Peninsula to the southeast, Oshima Island, and Niijima Island, and referred to in the local fishermen's dialect as Shimauchi (Shimanaka) by fishermen. Due to the presence of many reefs, these waters attract fishermen from various coastal villages. However, there has been no research on the process used by fishermen to recognize fishing grounds and spots. The continental shelf in these locations is narrow, except at Oshima Island to the southwest and Ohmurodashi, with steep drops of more than 500 m from the edge of shelf. The author counted 207 fishing points in these waters. In the same waters, many fishing points have been given different names by fishermen from different villages. The naming systems of these fishing points are based on fishing ground systems used by village groups of fishermen. The names are typically derived from perceived images of the topographical features from each fishing spot or ground.