Kanagawa Prefecture Fisheries Technology Center, Miura, Kanagawa 238-0237, Japan
Annual catches of red sea bream Pagrus major by recreational fishing in the coastal sea area of Kanagawa Prefecture were estimated on the basis of statistical surveys from 1982 to 2009 except for 1984 and 1985. The catch increased from 24.1 tons in 1982 to 127.0 tons in 1986. Subsequently, it was maintained at 67.2-114.9 tons from 1988 to 2009. On the other hand, the annual catch of commercial fishery from 1952 to 1962 was maintained at 71-93 tons and reached 132 tons in 1966. However, it began to decline in the early 1970s and fell to 25-29 tons from 1977 to 1980. Later, the catch from 1981 to 2009 was maintained at 30-65 tons. However, the level has not recovered to that before the 1960s. Recreational catch has exceeded commercial catch since 1986. Thus, the fishing structure of the red sea bream resource in the coastal sea area of Kanagawa Prefecture has changed from commercial fishery to mainly recreational fishery since the late 1980s.