ISARIBI NO.60

ISSN1346-2512

JapanFisheries
AssociationNO.60, SEPT. 2008
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Views and Opinions of Japan’s Fisheries Industry

Japan Int’l Seafood Expo

TJapan Int’l Seafood Show marks 10th anniversary
with record number of exhibitors

he 10th Japan International Seafood &Continued from last year, “Sushi Expo,” andTechnology Expo was held under the the “International Exposition of Fisherysponsorship of the Japan Fisheries Aquaculture Technology” were held concurrently
Association (JFA) at thewith the main show. A
new feature of thisTokyo Big Sight on July
year’s show was the23-25. A record numberof about 500 companies
Exposition on Marine
Clean-up Technology,
and organizations
which addressed
related to seafood
important issues related
processing and otherto marine conservation.
t e c h n o l o g i e s
To mark the 10th
participated in 570
anniversary of the Expo,
active booths, anthe organizer invited
increase from about 450
retail consumers as well,
exhibitors with 560
and held various events
booths in the previousfor children.
exposition held last July.
Speaking at theThis year Chuo Gyorui
opening ceremony onCo., a major wholesaler,
July 23, JFA President
was the first participantIsao Nakasu said: “I ame v e r f r o m To k y o ’ sdelighted to see thisTsukiji Fish Market, andexposition held with athe All Japan Kamabokorecord number ofMakers & Marine Productparticipants on its 10
Processing Industry
anniversary. As you are
Association from theaware, fishermen
processing industry also
throughout Japan
participated for the firstJapanese poster of the Seafood Showstaged a concertedtime.
one-day strike on July
The number ofvisitors, mainly industrial users and foodservice 15 to protest the ever-soaring fuel prices. Butoperators, totaled 26,882 during the 3-day today we set this difficult question aside toperiod, which was an increase of 642 over rather focus our attention on the basic aspectsof fisheries. We wish to mobilize our wisdom on
the previous year.
ISARIBI: First published by the Japan Fisheries Association in October 1992.
JFA President: Isao Nakasu; Editor: Masashi Nishimura

ISARIBI NO.60

SEPT. 2008

how to vitalize the fisheries industry in Japanand promote fish consumption.”
Participants from overseas numbered 100 from
14 countries and one territory with those from
Oman, Russia and Tunisia participating for theirfirst time. Chinese companies also participateddespite the recent issue involving frozen gyoza
dumplings that caused some health problem forJapanese consumers. They said that they areconfident in the safety and security of theirfood products and are intent to recover thetrust of Japanese consumers.
A numbers of new technologies relating topreserving the freshness of fish, rationalizing
the processing stages and enhancing hygienic
control were introduced, including chilling andfreezing facilities, and measuring, packaging andslicing equipment.
Regarding fishing vessel reforms, various new
methods were introduced on landing efficiency
and catch distribution with the aim to maintainthe value of the catch.
In the exposition on fishery aquaculture
technology, about 20 research institutions andengineering firms introduced state of the art
technologies.
During the Expo, approximately 40
presentations and seminars were held on such
topics as marine clean-up, aquaculturet e c h n o l o g y, s u s h i a n d f i s h e r y p r o d u c tdistribution.

Morita (center) demonstrating tuna cutting
Photo by courtesy of OPRT

seller at Izumigin Shoten in Urayasu Fish Marketin Chiba Prefecture, adjacent to Tokyo. Morita
is also the leader and the vocalist of the RockBand “Gyoko” (Fishing Port) that is promoting
music related to fisheries.
In a talk show with Nao Toko, Miss Japan“Day of the Sea,” Morita said emphatically: “Thestarting point of ecosystem conservation is ‘toleave no food unused!’ There is much talk on
TV and other media about which specific partsof a fish are delicious but I say all the parts of afish have their good taste.” He also said hehopes that consumers will maintain effective
communications with fishermen in using fish,
such as knowledge on where the fish was caught
or on the best way to cook it.”
The show, aimed at publicizing the benefitsof fish to consumers, was held as a special event
marking the 10th anniversary of the Seafood
Show.

Further progress of full-cycle
tuna farming

A demonstration on ecosystemconservation using tuna

During the Japan International Seafood &Technology Expo, a demonstration on the280-kg head of a tuna was staged byMorita Tsurizao, a young third-generation fishE

xpectations for tuna farming are rising inJapan from year to year as regulations on
the catch of wild tunas have been
increasingly tightened around the world.
“There is a need to realize commercially
feasible full-cycle tuna farming (from breedingthrough harvest) as soon as possible while
ensuring management of the resources,” says
an official in charge of tuna farming at Maruha
Nichiro Seafoods, Inc.

Page 2ISARIBI NO.60
Addressing a seminar at the JapanInternational Seafood and Technology Expoon July 24, Takashi Kusano, director of thecompany’s tuna farming division, analyzed theenvironment surrounding bluefin tuna farming.
“Catches of tunas around the world saw arapid increase since the 1980s aided by the
progress of fishing techniques. But supply to
the Japanese market has since been on adeclining trend because of dwindling wild
resources internationally and tightened
regulations on fishing, which, in turn, havecreated greater expectations for tuna
farming.”
Explaining the history and the situation oftuna farming overseas, Kusano observed thatthe “Production of farmed tuna overseas
expanded to 35,000 tons in 2003. But nofurther growth in production from farming canbe expected at present as regulations on thecatch of wild tunas for farming have beentightened.”“In Japan, private-level projects in tuna
farming have shown growth since the mid1990s. Production of farmed tuna in Japan,
which stood at 1,000 tons in 2002, wasenlarged to 3,000 tons in 2005 and 4,000
tons in 2007 and is certain to surpass 4,000
tons in 2008. Next year, production isexpected to grow to nearly 8,000 tons on
the assumption of the current yields, because
harvests of juvenile tunas last year werefavorable,” he observed.
For the expansion of production in thefuture, Kusano advised that it is necessary
to develop cages and a feeding control system
specifically aimed at utilizing offshore fishinggrounds where tuna farming has not yet beenpracticed.
He presented the company’s current efforts
to develop seed production techniques anda new mixed feed for aquaculture for which
it obtained a license through joint
development with its affiliated Hayashikane
Sangyo Co. in 2006.
In meeting the challenge to realize offshore
farming, Kusano referred to the company’songoing projects at eight fishing grounds.
Specifically, he explained the project of oneof its affiliates to promote the use of large
floating-type cages and to set up the cage

SEPT. 2008
management system by using large support
vessels.
“Maruha Nichiro will continue its efforts toenhance productivity and ensure stability inquality by fully utilizing offshore grounds suitedfor tuna farming,” Kusano said. “One of thechallenges facing us in tuna farming is how tosecure a stable supply of juvenile fish. For thisgoal, it is indispensable to establish techniques
for artificial breeding and quantity production. We
believe it is crucial to further advance researchon artificial breeding to ensure the stable use ofseeds, fully taking the resource conservation intoconsideration,” he concluded.

Fuel price issue
Japanese government helps
fishersT

he Fisheries Agency of the Japanese
government announced on July 28 a packageof emergency measures totaling Y74.5 billion
in order to alleviate the impact of soaring fuelprices on Japanese fishermen.
The package was discussed and agreed atmeetings of ministers concerned over therepercussions of high oil prices on the fishingindustry.
The highlight of the relief measures is that thegovernment will compensate 90% of the fuelincreases for fishermen’s organizations
participating in a government program to reduce
the amount of fuel they consume by more than10%.
The package will also include expanded interestfree loans and financial assistance to fishermen
who were forced to suspend their fishing operation
or reduce the number of fishing vessels.
The fund for these measures will be allocatedfrom the current budget for fiscal 2008 ending inMarch 2009.

MEL Japan NewsMEL Japan actively publicizing its
eco-label system

On July 11, the JFA held its annual summer
evening reception, inviting fishery

Page 3

ISARIBI NO.60
attaches from foreign embassies in Tokyo andjoined by a number of fisheries officials who
exchanged views with JFA members andrepresentatives of the Japanese fishing industry
over plates of sushi.
The MEL Japan Secretariat took this occasion
to introduce the fisheries that have appliedfor MEL Japan certification through a Power
Point presentation and the distribution of thepamphlets describing the purpose of the ecolabeling system to promote the sustainable useof fishery resources.
In response to requests from Japanesefishers, MEL
J a p a n
Secretariat
staffers havealso visited local
cities such as
Saga in Kyushu
and Morioka inIwate Prefecture
to explain theMELJapansystem.

Sea of Japan Crab Pot Fishery —the first candidate for MEL Japancertification — to undergo
rigorous examinationT

his fishery was the first to apply for MEL
Japan certification and is still undergoing
rigorous reexamination in order to ensure
its compliance with the standards.
Meanwhile, Mr. Masato Nishino, presidentof the Sea of Japan Crab Pot Fishery
Association, stated in a TV interview that
“Although this fishery has been managed strictlyby the Government’s Fisheries Agency, wedecided to make our voluntary efforts in thehope to secure sustainability of the resources,
and applied for obtaining MEL Japan labels withthe consent of association members. We also
made application for chain of custodycertification for distribution of the products.”“It is our hope that consumers will cometo know our positive efforts in ensuring thesustainability of the resources,” Nishino said.

SEPT. 2008

Answers to groundlesscriticism of Japan’s researchwhalingby anti-whaling groups (2)(continued from the previous issue)
2. Japan is continuing whaling while
the entire world is opposed to it.
A. It is not true that all the countries in
the world are opposed to whaling. Only
countries, mainly in the western world,
are against it. About 37 of the 81
members of the IWC are supporting thesustainable use of the whale resources,
along with Japan.
3. The continuation of whaling amid
opposition from the international
community will impair theinternational status of Japan.
A. Many of the anti-whaling countries,
such as the United States and Europeancountries, do not need to depend on
marine resources for their food supply.
Japan, a country surrounded by theoceans, needs to advocate withpatience the position to utilize marine
living resources, including whales,effectively as a food source for mankind.
Numbers of countries support thisposition of Japan. Japan is not isolating
itself in the international community or
impairing its position by advocating theprinciple of sustainable use of whales. If
Japan succumbs to the pressures fromanti-whaling countries and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) andreverses its position, it would be
betraying the expectations and trust ofother countries that support Japan for
its principle of effective utilization of all
marine living resources, including whales.
Therefore, the reversal of Japan’s current
position would mean that Japan would
impair its status in the world.
(to be continued in next issue)

The readers are cordially invited to send their comments on articles in this issue to mnishimu@suisankai.or.jp--Editor