A Bio-Morphological Study on Traditional Coral Reef Fishery

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K03015
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Human geography
• Research Institution: University of the Ryukyus
• Principal Investigator: TOGUCHI Ken 琉球大学, 国際地域創造学部, 准教授 (30543764)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 長谷川 均 国士舘大学, 文学部, 教授 (80208496) ; 藤田 喜久 沖縄県立芸術大学, 音楽学部, 准教授 (20771463)
• Research Collaborator: TAKAHASHI soyo ; NAKAI tatsuro
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: サンゴ礁 / 微地形 / 海洋生物 / 漁撈活動 / 底質

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Fishermen who catch fishes in the coral reefs classify reef morphology in detail and give vernacular terms. Many studies on folk terminology of coral reef morphology has been carried out, but their organic linkage to fishing activities has not. We studied the linkage in several islands in the Ryukyus.
In this study, for example, we examined the organic linkage among the morphology, deposits, organisms and fishing activities in depressions called ‘katama' by fishermen. We observed that katama was circular in a plan view, and the floor was covered with numerous flat boulders. There were small organisms under the gravels. According to our interview with fishermen, fishes turn the gravels and feed these kinds of small organisms. It shows that fishermen have recognized katama as important fishing grounds with their traditional ecological knowledge.

Free Research Field

地理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

日本におけるサンゴ礁微地形に関する民俗分類の研究は，およそ40年の歴史がある。しかも，世界的に見ても研究の数が多く，内容も詳細である。しかしながら，民俗分類と漁撈活動の有機的関係については等閑視されてきた。本研究は，サンゴ礁漁場において，漁師たちが識別し独自の呼び名を与えてきた微地形に注目し，その漁撈活動における価値づけを，地理学・生物学・人類学の共同研究によって考察した。特にカタマと呼ばれる礁縁部の凹地の調査から，サンゴ礁生態系における礫質環境の重要性を指摘し，サンゴや藻場の保全に主眼を置いた従来の保全策を総体的に捉え直す必要性について提言した。