DAY-TO-DAY VARIATION IN CATCH OF FISH AND SEISMIC ACTIVITY

Fishes are quite sensitive to natural disasters such as earthquakes, i n the same manner as animals living under the ground. We examined the data for the catch of fish caught at twenty-seven ''set net'' fishing grounds in the Sagami bay. Day to day variations in the catch of Japan ese sardines (Savdinops melanostica) and horse mackerels (Trachurus ja ponica) show good correlation with the activities of the swarm earthqu akes in the Sagami bay. We support our findings by studying eleven swa rm earthquakes in the period from 1974-1989. Conspicuous positive corr elation exists in the variation in catch of fish and seismic activity during the eruption of Mt. Mihara on Oshima island and the Teishi subm arine hill. We proposed a model of chemical material diffusing from a fault on the bottom to interpret the phenomena.