輪島市における「あま」漁業について

抄録

Ama-divers are specialised to collect a certain variety of shellfish and seaweed with virtually no equipment. They have been engaged in diving in the vicinity of the seacoasts of Japan for centuries. Ama-machi is one of the well-known community of those divers situated in the present city of Wajima, at the northernmost tip of the Noto Peninsula.
In this study recent changes of fishing activities and social structure of Ama-machi are discussed, and factors affecting decrease and survival of Ama-diving are analysed.
Results are summarised as follows.
1) As a major means of fishing, diving was by far the most important in Ama-machi until 1955. During the period from 1955 to 1965 most households engaged both in diving and in rod-and-line fishing. After 1965 means of catch is diversified, and at present such various types are found as diving, gill net, trawling, long line, and round haul net.
2) Formerly a firm communal structure was characteristic of Ama-machi. The fishing village consisted of quite a few number of managements and many labourers until 1955. Since then influences of the managements gradually decreased, and more and more labourers became independent fishermen. As the communal structure began to disintegrate and made loose, villagers were organized in Ama-machi neighbourhood association, and this helps to keep the unity of the village.
3) As to the living place before 1965, the villagers, all members of the family together, used to migrate to the Hegura islet in June, returning back to Ama-machi in October. But controlled migration of the whole community ceased in 1965. Today, most of the households permanently live either in Hegura or in Ama-machi, and only a few still continue seasonal migration between the two places, staying only summer in the islet and the rest of the year in Ama-machi.
4) In all the types of fishing activities, diving at present loses the past preeminence in terms of quantity and value. Nevertheless, there are about 200 Ama-divers, all of them female in sex. Ama households, one or more members of which regularly dive, belong to the poorer class in the community.
5) In the examination of the factors affecting survival of diving, the followings can be pointed out. Certain measures are taken to preserve and increase marine resources. Organization of fishermen is formed to self-control misconducts by divers and to assure cooperation work in diving. Diving still holds an important position in the household economy of fishermen who are regarded to belong to the small income class.