A Folkloristic Study of Inlandwater Fishery in Rice Cultivation- A Proposition on the Paddy Field Fishery -

在稻田渔业的讨论中，其主要领域是稻田水系。到目前为止，内陆水域渔业分为两类，即湖泊渔业和河流渔业。然而，稻田水系作为第三个领域具有重要意义。这一系统指定了为水稻作物设计、控制和维护的人造水圈：与自然水圈不同，它的特点是水条件，如水流、水量和温度，每年根据水稻种植活动而变化很大。稻田渔业是利用水稻农业的各种活动引起的水情变化，利用鱼缸、陷阱等渔具进行的。这一渔业的目标是淡水鱼类，如泥鳅、鲫鱼和鲤鱼，它们是高度适应稻田的生活方式。到目前为止，稻田渔业在技术上被归类为其他渔业，被农民认为是不重要的捕捞活动；然而，这种渔业的实际基础远远比渔民的渔业广泛。此外，水田渔业不仅是日本的问题，也是东南亚所有水田水稻种植区的问题。从历史上观察，水稻收获文化与渔业之间也存在着根本的联系。

In the discussion of the paddy field fishery, its major sphere is the water system for rice paddy field. The inland water fishery has so far been divided into two groups, the lacustrine and the river fisheries. However, the water system for the rice field has great significance as the third sphere. This system designates the man-made hydrosphere, devised, controlled and maintained for rice crop : its characteristics are, unlike the natural hydrosphere, the water conditions such as currents, quantity and temperature of water, vary greatly annually according to the activities of rice-cultivation. The paddy field fishery is done with the fishing gear such as fish pots and traps, taking full advantage of the change of the water conditions as the result of the various activities of rice agriculture. The targets of this fishery are freshwater fish for example the loach (dojo), the crucian (funa) and the carp, which are highly adapted life styles to the paddy field.The paddy field fishery has so far been classified technologically in miscellaneous fisheries, and has been considered as unimportant fishing activities by farmers ; however, the practical base of this fishery is far wider spread than the fishery by fishermen. Moreover, the paddy field fishery is an issue concerning not only with Japan but also with all the paddy field rice cultivating regions in Southeast Asia. Observing historically, too, fundamental relation is indicated betwfeen rice harvesting culture and the fishery.