Multiple Use Integrated Marine Management Planfor Shiretoko World Natural Heritage Site
Fourth Term

March 2023

Ministry of the Environment
Hokkaido Government

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Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1(1) Background ............................................................................................................................................ 1(2) Objective of the Plan .............................................................................................................................. 2(3) Period of the Plan .................................................................................................................................. 2(4) Management Area ................................................................................................................................. 2

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Review of the Previous Plan ..................................................................................................... 4(1) Current Situation of the Waters Surrounding Shiretoko ........................................................................ 4(2) Concept of the Plan and Direction for the Future .................................................................................. 5(3) Monitoring .............................................................................................................................................. 6

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Basic Concept of Management ................................................................................................. 8(1) Basic Policies ......................................................................................................................................... 8(2) Overview of Marine Ecosystem and Concept of Management in Shiretoko ......................................... 8(3) Concept of Management of Each Component in the Marine Ecosystem ........................................... 11
a. Marine environment and production in lower trophic levels .............................................................. 11
b. Coastal Environment ......................................................................................................................... 11(i) Marine Pollution ............................................................................................................................. 11(ii) Natural Landscapes ...................................................................................................................... 12(iii) Drifting and Washed-up Debris .................................................................................................... 12
c. Fishes ................................................................................................................................................. 13
d. Marine Mammals ............................................................................................................................... 14
e. Birds ................................................................................................................................................... 18(4) Local Communities .............................................................................................................................. 20

4Management Measures ........................................................................................................... 23(1) Marine environment and production in lower trophic levels ................................................................ 23(2) Coastal Environment ............................................................................................................................ 23
a. Marine Pollution ................................................................................................................................. 23
b. Natural Landscapes ........................................................................................................................... 24
c. Drifting and Washed-up Debris ......................................................................................................... 24(3) Indicator Species ................................................................................................................................. 24
a. Salmonids .......................................................................................................................................... 24
b. Walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) ......................................................................................... 25
c. Japanese flying squid (Todarodes pacificus) .................................................................................... 26
d. Yellowtail (Seriola quinqueradiata) .................................................................................................... 26
e. Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) ................................................................................................ 27
f. Largha seal (Phoca largha) ................................................................................................................ 27
g. Killer whale (Orcinus orca) ................................................................................................................ 28
h. Spectacled Guillemot (Cepphus carbo), Slaty-backed Gull (Larus schistisagus), and JapaneseCormorant (Phalacrocorax capillatus) ............................................................................................... 28
i. Steller’s sea eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus) / white-tailed eagle (H. albicilla) ...................................... 28(4) Local communities ............................................................................................................................... 29
a. Conservation of the marine ecosystem and regional development .................................................. 29
b. Marine recreation ............................................................................................................................... 29
c. Climate change, including global warming, and local communities .................................................. 30

5Administrative Structure and Operation .................................................................................. 31(1) Implementation of the Plan .................................................................................................................. 31(2) Preparation of the annual report .......................................................................................................... 31

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1 Introduction(1) Background- In this management plan, “Shiretoko” refers to the Shiretoko World Natural Heritage Site (hereinafter referred to as
the “heritage site”) and its surrounding sea areas. Shiretoko is situated at the lowest latitude for the existence of
the world’s seasonal sea ice in the northern hemisphere and features the interaction between a terrestrial
ecosystem and a contiguous marine ecosystem with unique seasonal sea ice characteristics, as well as
anadromous salmonids spawning in the rivers.
- Shiretoko is an important area for a large number of marine and terrestrial species. There are a wide variety ofmarine life inhabiting the area, including sea eagles and many other rare species, a large number of salmonids
spawning in the rivers, and marine mammals such as Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus), and cetaceans. In
addition, the area is internationally important as a habitat for globally threatened seabirds and a stopover point for
migratory birds.
- In this management plan, “the waters surrounding Shiretoko” refer to the marine area of the heritage site(hereinafter referred to as the “marine area of the heritage site”) and its surrounding sea area. The waters
surrounding Shiretoko have high productivity, and for many years, fisheries activities have been conducted inharmony with marine life.
- In addition, the rich natural environment has provided a basis for fostering a local culture and developing the
tourism industry, as well as a place for education and research.
- Taking advantage of the opportunity of inscription on the World Heritage list as a natural heritage, an integrated
marine management plan was formulated in 2007 to ensure both the conservation of the marine ecosystem andthe proper use of the area for human activities, such as fisheries and marine recreation, in the future.
- Management measures were pushed ahead according to the plan, and in light of the results of the monitoring of
the marine ecosystem and fisheries in Shiretoko, the second term management plan was formulated in 2013 inorder to address new situations after the formulation of the initial plan, including the change in the marine
environment and increased use for marine recreation.
- While management measures were pushed ahead according to the second term plan, a review was conducted inlight of the results of the horizontal evaluation of monitoring and others, and the third term management plan wasformulated in 2018.
- In FY 2021, because the period of the Long-Term Monitoring Plan for Shiretoko World Natural Heritage Site First
Term (hereinafter called Long-Term Monitoring Plan) ended, the monitoring items were evaluated based on thedata acquired over the 10-year period of the plan, the challenges were identified, and the policy for the future wasput together to formulate the Second Term Long-Term Monitoring Plan starting in April 2022 and ending in March2032.
- While management measures were pushed ahead according to the third term plan, a review was conducted in1light of the results of the evaluation of the First Term Long-Term Monitoring Plan and the Second Term LongTerm Monitoring Plan and other plans, and the fourth term management plan was formulated in 2023.

(2) Objective of the Plan
- The objective of this plan is to satisfy in the marine area of the heritage site both the conservation of the marine
ecosystem and the proper use of the area for human activities, including stable fisheries, through the sustainable
use of living marine resources and marine recreation.
- This plan contributes to the achievement of the following goals and targets of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) (note 1).
Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
Target 11.4: Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world's cultural and natural heritage.
Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.
Target 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse
impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order toachieve healthy, productive oceans.

(3) Period of the Plan
- The period of this plan is five years from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2028. Reviews are conducted in light of thechanges in the marine ecosystem in Shiretoko and the results of the management measures, depending on thesituation.
- Even after the plan period ends, reviews are conducted roughly every five years.

(4) Management Area
The target area of this plan is the marine area of the heritage site that extends up to 3 km from the coastline(figure 1).
Zone A: The area where strict management is pursued into the future.
Zone B: The area where both conservation of the natural environment anduse for sustainable tourism and fisheries that do not diminish thevalue of the area of the heritage site.

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Figure 1 Management Area

(Note 1)
Sustainable Development Goals: SDGs
The SDGs are the development goals for global society including developed countries to achieve by 2030 that wereadopted at the UN Summit in September 2015 and consist of 17 goals with 169 associated specific targets. The focus
is on emphasizing the roles of all stakeholders (developed countries, developing countries, private companies, NGOs,
experts, and others) and addressing a wide range of economic, social, and environmental challenges in an integrated
manner to realize a society that leaves no one behind.

32 Review of the Previous Plan

(1) Current Situation of the Waters Surrounding Shiretoko- Between 1955 and 2004, the average temperature of the Eurasian continent in winter, which affects the formationof seasonal sea ice in the Sea of Okhotsk, rose by 2.0°C, and the temperature of the intermediate water in thewestern part of the Sea of Okhotsk rose by 0.68°C. The dissolved oxygen level (Note 1) of the intermediate water
decreased by 0.58 mg/L between 1960 and 2004. The cause of these trends was due to the weakened formationof dense shelf water (DSW) (Note 2) from the decrease in sea ice, which declined by 9.2% in the area between
the latter half of the 1970s and 2004. The area of sea ice in the Sea of Okhotsk is on the decline in the long run.
However, it has remained at almost the same level since 2012.
- According to the results of the water temperature observations conducted using the oceanographic buoys located
off the coasts of Utoro, Shari Town and Rausu Town for nine years (mainly in summer), there is a significant
difference in water temperature between those two areas because the water temperature in the Utoro area isalways higher than that of the Rausu area and tends to rise earlier. It is estimated that the Utoro area is affectedby the warm Soya current more strongly than the Rausu area, which causes the difference in water temperature.
- The biota and their populations in the shallow water area have not changed significantly since the inscription of
Shiretoko on the World Heritage List. However, as for crustaceans, it has been found that Balanus glandula,
which is a foreign species, has settled.
- As for seabirds, while the spectacled guillemot (Cepphus carbo), which is a rare species, is conserved, thepopulations of black-tailed gulls (Larus crassirostris), slaty-backed gulls (Larus schistisagus), and Japanese
cormorants (Phalacrocorax capillatus) have been rapidly decreasing, and the situation has worsened since theinscription of Shiretoko on the World Heritage List.
- The populations of Steller’s sea eagles (Haliaeetus pelagicus) and white-tailed eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) as of
the inscription of Shiretoko on the World Heritage List have been maintained.
- As the number of pairs of Blakiston’s fish owls (Bubo blakistoni) has been slightly increasing, and every habitat
has been continuously maintained, their population is stable. (However, artificial nest boxes are used in every
habitat.)- The catch of chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) has been at a low level and has not increased in Rausu Town
and Shari Town since 2010 and 2014, respectively.
- The catch of pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) is on the decline at a low to medium level in odd years andremains at a low level in even years. (Since pink salmon has a two-year life cycle, the odd-year population andthe even-year population are assessed separately.)- In Rausu Town on the Nemuro Strait side, because the annual catch of walleye pollocks (Gadus chalcogrammus)
has been on the decline since its peak at 111,000 tons in the fishing period from April 1989 to March 1990 andless than 10,000 tons since the fishing period of 2000, the population that migrates to this area is considered to
be at a low level. In the Okhotsk General Subprefectural Bureau region (including Shari Town) on the Sea of
Okhotsk side, though the annual catch drastically decreased in the fishing period of 1986 and kept fluctuatingfrom 6,000 tons to 43,000 tons after the fishing period of 1990, it remained at 40,000–43,000 tons in the fishing4

period of 2019-2021. Therefore, the population that migrates to this area is considered to be at a high level.
- It has been found that the catch of Japanese flying squids (Todarodes pacificus) increases during the warm
regime where the temperature of the waters surrounding the Sea of Japan is high and decreases during the cold
regime. Though Japanese flying squids are mainly caught on the coast of Rausu, there is a decrease inresources associated with the reduction in the spawning area caused by the local cooling of the East China Sea.
- With regard to Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus), the population of Asian and Japanese groups of Steller sea
lion, which the ones migrating to Japan belong to, has been gradually increasing since the 1990s- It has been found that the migration range, landing areas, and population of largha seals (Phoca largha) haveincreased on the coast of Hokkaido, especially on the Sea of Japan side, since the 1990s. Recently largha seals
have been observed migrating to this area earlier and leaving later. However, on the coast of Hokkaido facing the
Sea of Okhotsk where their landing areas are limited, it is difficult to determine their population, so the current
population is unknown.
- Though the concentrations of mercury and oil in surface ocean waters were unstable and sometimes became highuntil around 2002, they have been stable at low levels since then.
- With regard to the linkage of conservation of the marine ecosystem with social or economic activities and its
variation, the climate change effects are unknown. It is necessary to continue monitoring in the future to explore
the association with climate change.
- With regard to local industry, the Rausu side and the Shari side have a relatively high percentage of fisheryrelated industries and tourism-related industries, respectively. The fishery keeps a larger workforce here
compared to other areas. Though the tourism industry received more than 1.6 million nonresident tourists per
year until FY 2019, the number of nonresident tourists, especially foreign overnight visitors, has drasticallydecreased because of the global pandemic of COVID-19 and the resulting immigration restrictions and stay-athome advisories since 2020.
- Visitors to the Shiretoko Museum, Shiretoko National Park Nature Center, visitor centers, and field houses arealso on the increase, which deepen visitors’ understanding of the characteristics and changes in the nature andculture of Shiretoko, as well as further conservation activities for them. In addition, people from the local
communities are deepening the understanding of the ecosystem in Shiretoko through various activities, includinga Shiretoko Course for Citizens.

(2) Concept of the Plan and Direction for the Future- In order to implement adaptive management (note 4) while firmly maintaining the objectives of the previous plan,
the plan defines some species that characterize the marine ecosystem as indicator species to ensure the balance
between conservation of the marine ecosystem and use for fisheries and marine recreation.
- Material circulation and network functions of biological interaction between the terrestrial ecosystem and thecontiguous marine ecosystem are monitored and evaluated to protect the interaction of those ecosystems.
- The details and effects of the management measures to be implemented based on this plan are scientifically5evaluated, and adaptive modifications of the management measures are considered on the basis of theevaluation results.
- The state and need for implementation of research and the prospect of implementing research in the future areconsidered to review the monitoring items.
- Methods of participatory monitoring for making use of information from fishers and local residents are considered.
- Methods of comprehensively evaluating multiple monitoring items for different subjects of research are considered.
- Delivering results from monitoring to the local stakeholders in an easy-to-understand and accessible way isconsidered.

(3) Monitoring- It is necessary to continue monitoring in order to capture changes in sea ice extent and its variations in theecosystems due to environmental changes, evaluate the interaction of the terrestrial and marine ecosystems, andconduct continued management of salmon resources.
- The monitoring of salinity is considered to understand the marine environment and water mass structure on the
coast of Shiretoko.
- The timing, place, and method of the monitoring study of seals should be considered because it is often
impossible to implement it due to environmental conditions, such as drift ice.

(Note 2)
Dissolved oxygen: The amount of gaseous oxygen (O2) dissolved in the water.

(Note 3)
Dense Shelf Water (DSW): Refers to the dense shelf water formed in the northern part of the Sea of Okhotsk.
When sea water freezes, salt is expelled from ice and therefore the underlying water became
denser than the surrounding sea water. This process drives thermohaline circulation in the Seaof Okhotsk. Active formation of DSW contributes to keep the temperature low and dissolved
oxygen rich in the deeper layers in the Sea of Okhotsk. It is the source of the Northern PacificIntermediate Water (NPIW).

(Note 4)Adaptive management: Adaptive management is intended for the management and use of natural resources thatallows maintaining the structure and function of the ecosystem. Changes in the ecosystem are
predicted and monitored, and based on the results, the methods of management and use are
flexibly reviewed and adjusted. These predictions and monitoring should be accompanied by a
feedback function. For the review and adjustment of management and use, it is necessary that all6

of the parties involved share information, try to verify hypotheses based on the results of themonitoring, and decide on the direction they will take while building a consensus.

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3 Basic Concept of Management(1) Basic Policies- The premise of the Plan is legal restrictions relating to conservation of the marine environment, marine
ecosystems and fisheries, and autonomous management measures carried out by fishers based on fisheriesrelated laws, as well as voluntary restrictions on marine recreation.
- The Plan defines measures to conserve the marine ecosystem, strategies to maintain major living marine
resources, and monitoring methods for those resources. Based on them, proper management should bepromoted.
- The Plan ensures a balance between conservation of the marine ecosystem and local economic activities throughecosystem services (note 5).

(2) Overview of Marine Ecosystem and Concept of Management in Shiretoko(Ecosystem of the heritage site)- The marine area of the heritage site is the southernmost region of the seasonal sea ice found in the northernhemisphere and is affected by the East Sakhalin cold current and the Soya warm current. This area has acomplicated marine character created by these two currents together with the intermediate cold water derived
from the Sea of Okhotsk and forms the marine ecosystem where a welter of organisms migrate and live.
- The heritage site is an outstanding example of the interaction of marine and terrestrial ecosystems, including thefact that salmonids running upstream for spawning supply high volumes of marine-derived material (15% in termsof nitrogen) for the riparian forest ecosystem.
- In spring when sea ice melts, blooms of ice algae and other phytoplankton occur in Shiretoko. As shown in figure
2, diverse marine life, including a wide variety of fish, such as salmonids and walleye pollock, live in the waters
surrounding Shiretoko based on a food web that starts from phytoplankton, seaweed and sea grass, and detritus.
- Anadromous salmonids return to the rivers in the area of the heritage site for spawning. Wild salmonids (including
hatchery-derived chum and pink salmon that reproduce naturally in the rivers) running upstream serve as animportant source of food for terrestrial mammals (e.g., brown bear (Ursus arctos) ) and birds of prey (e.g.,
Blakiston’s fish-owl (Bubo blakistoni)), and contribute to the biodiversity and the transportation of material into theterrestrial ecosystem. Among salmonids, chum and pink salmon (Oncorhynchus keta and O. gorbuscha) are
important as living marine resources in the region.
- In the waters surrounding Shiretoko, fisheries activities have long been carried on without having a negative
impact on marine life.

8Figure 2 Food web in the Shiretoko(Adaptive management of the Shiretoko marine ecosystem)- In general, an ecosystem is a disturbed, uncertain, and complex system and has a structure and function
reflecting the interaction between the abiotic environment and the organism.
- The management of the Shiretoko marine ecosystem, which has diverse organisms and a complex and
unpredictable system, needs adaptive management.
- Therefore, based on scientific information currently available, this plan categorizes the marine ecosystem into fivecomponents as described later and defines some species that characterize the marine ecosystem in Shiretoko as
indicator species, which are selected from the most important species that have a great impact on theecosystems and endangered species constituting the food web in the waters surrounding Shiretoko, to conserve
the marine environment, and to implement continuous management based on the concept of adaptive
management by understanding the interaction of the marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
- Since there are limitations to adaptive management of the marine area of the heritage site by Japan, the current
situation of the ecosystem in the neighboring areas of Japan and the Russian Federation should be understood,
and Japan-Russia cooperation, such as information sharing, should be promoted in the field of conservation andsustainable use of the regional ecosystem.

(Linkage with the local communities)- The rich natural environment of Shiretoko brings benefits to the local communities in various ways, including as

9fishery and tourism.
- Therefore, the linkage of conservation of the marine ecosystem with economic activities and variations should becontinuously focused on by understanding the social and economic dynamics related to the fishery and thetourism industry, the key industries in the region around Shiretoko.
- In order to capture the changes in the marine ecosystem in the area of the heritage site caused by social andeconomic activities early, the use of monitoring information provided by fishers and local residents through theInternet and other means should be considered.

(Management measures against climate change, including global warming)- The marine ecosystem in Shiretoko is significantly affected by seasonal sea ice. The average temperature of theEurasia continent in winter, which affects the formation of sea ice in the Sea of Okhotsk, including the marine
area of the heritage site, rose by 2.0°C between 1955 and 2004, and both the number of days having sea ice
coverage and the amount of sea ice inflow are on the decrease.
- Therefore, monitoring of climate change, including global warming, and management of the marine area of theheritage site should be integrated by cross checking the changes in the meteorological and oceanographic
phenomena against the findings gained from indicator species that contribute to the conservation of the marine
ecosystem and other various species that are vulnerable to climate change.

(Note 5)
Ecosystem services: The term referring to the blessings we gain from ecosystems involving diverse organisms forsupporting our life, including food, water, and a stable climate. The ecosystem services can be
categorized into four main types: provisioning services that provide resources such as food,water, wood, etc.; regulating services that are benefits obtained from climate regulation, etc.;
cultural services that provide places for recreation, etc.; and support services that include
production of atmospheric oxygen through photosynthesis. (Source: Japan’s National Strategy
2012 - 2020)10

(3) Concept of Management of Each Component in the Marine Ecosystem
a. Marine environment and production in lower trophic levels[Current situation of the component]- The marine environment of the waters surrounding Shiretoko is influenced by the oceanic structure of the Sea of
Okhotsk (East Sakhalin cold current, intermediate cold water of the Sea of Okhotsk, seasonal sea ice). It is also
affected by the Soya warm current that flows in from the Soya Straits along the coast (shallow water along thecoast) and partially by warm surface water that flows in from the Pacific Ocean.
- In winter, the East Sakhalin cold current shifts southward, and then the seasonal sea ice formed in the northernpart of Sea of Okhotsk covers this sea area. Blooms of ice algae occur in the sea ice by spring, and when theseason of melting the sea ice comes, high volumes of ice algae in the ice are released into the water.
- From spring to early summer, the ice algae released into the seawater initiate spring blooms in the water as
phytoplankton affected by higher light levels and stratification caused by warmer seawater. From summer to fall,
the production mechanism in the lower trophic levels, which starts from the production of phytoplankton and leadto the reproduction of zooplankton, develops due to the coastal upwelling and vertical mixing caused bycomplicated ocean floor topography, tide, wind, and some other factors.
- In the intertidal and subtidal zones with high biodiversity, northern hemisphere species are predominant whilesouthern hemisphere species also easily arrive due to the complexity of the marine structure. In addition, sea ice
disturbance also affects biota development in those zones.
- The continuity of production in the lower trophic levels as described above, except in winter, leads to an increasein the biomass of zooplankton, such as copepods and krill that feed on the lower production and proliferate. This
generates a diversity of marine life including both sedentary and migratory species of fish, squids, seabirds, andmarine mammals, as well as the abundant biological production.
[Management strategy]- Under the conditions mentioned above, in order to ensure balance between conservation of the marine ecosystemand sustainable fisheries based on adaptive management, it is necessary to conduct research and monitoring
and understand accurately the trends and dynamics of the marine environment, marine structure, and indicatorspecies of the marine ecosystem that provide basic data for the various analyses of the meteorological andoceanographic phenomena, and dynamics of the sea ice in the waters surrounding Shiretoko.
- It is also necessary to capture the signs of climate change, including global warming, that may be estimated fromthe trends and dynamics.

b. Coastal Environment(i) Marine Pollution[Current situation]- Relevant laws strictly regulate the discharge of harmful substances into the waters from factories, businesses, and11

ships. Thus, the marine environment in the waters surrounding Shiretoko is maintained in good quality.
[Challenges]- There is a concern, however, that a great variety of marine contaminants from rivers flowing into the waters
surrounding Shiretoko, ocean currents, and the atmosphere may threaten the life of marine life at higher trophic
level as a result of biomagnification.
- The potential threat from unexpected oil spill incidents caused by oil development on Sakhalin and accidents ofships passing through the waters surrounding Shiretoko, can have a serious impact on the coastal ecosystem.
[Management strategy]- Efforts to prevent the outflow of contaminants from the terrestrial area should be continued to conserve themarine environment of the heritage site.
- Against the marine pollution caused by unexpected oil spills, measures should be implemented quickly andaccurately to protect the precious ecosystem.
- For this purpose, all the institutions concerned, including the national government, Hokkaido government, and thetowns, need to cooperate and consider concrete measures to confine the damage caused by oil spills to a minimum
area.

(ii) Natural Landscapes[Current situation]- No vehicle road exists in most of the coastal area (land area bordering the sea) within the heritage site and thus thenatural coast remains intact.
- The coastal and marine areas of the heritage site are designated as Shiretoko National Park under the Natural
Parks Law, where certain activities are regulated in order to conserve natural scenic beauty and biodiversity.
[Management strategy]- Efforts to conserve the excellent scenic beauty and biodiversity should be continued based on the Natural Parks
Law.

(iii) Drifting and Washed-up Debris[Current situation]- There are some drifting and washed-up debris observed in the marine area of the heritage area.
- The problems caused by the drifting and washed-up debris, including those of foreign origin, have become serious
in recent years. Examples of the problems are deterioration of the coastal function of the environment, including
the ecosystem, of scenic beauty, threats to the safe passage of ships, and damage to the fishing industry.
[Management strategy]- The relevant agencies should work together to transmit the information concerning the alleviation of the harmful
effects on the marine ecosystem caused by drifting and washed-up debris and the conservation of the coastal

12environment.
- Cleaning garbage ashore on the coast in the marine area of the heritage site should be conducted regularly withthe help of volunteers.

c. Fishes[Current situation of the component]- In the waters surrounding Shiretoko, 247 species of fish from 27 orders and 75 families have been identified.
- A large number of fishes, including salmonids, walleye Pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus), arabesque greenlings(Pleurogrammus azonus), rockfish, cods, flatfish, and cephalopods, live in the marine area of the heritage site.
The area serves as a part of the migration route and spawning area for salmonids and walleye pollock that widely
migrate and mainly feed on copepods and krill in the sea.
- In the waters surrounding Shiretoko, fisheries activities have long been actively conducted blessed by the richbiological production, and a historical background based on the fishing industry has developed in the region.
- For the major living marine resources, there have been strenuous efforts made to maintain a balance between thestate of the resources and the total catch to realize sustainable use. For example, surveys on the trends ofresources have been conducted, regulations concerning the management and use of resources have been
established, and resources have been propagated through fishery-related legislation and autonomous measures
implemented by fishers and their organizations based on fisheries-related laws.
- Principal capture fisheries have been continuously monitored, organized as statistical information, and publishedsince 1935.
[Selection of the indicator species]- The most important species include salmonids (e.g., chum, pink, and masu salmon (Oncorhynchus keta, O.
gorbuscha, and O. masou)), walleye pollock, Japanese flying squid (Todarodes pacificus), arabesque greenling(Pleurogrammus azonus), and Pacific cod (Gadus microcephalus).
- Major species used by the fishing industry include salmonids, walleye pollock, Pacific cod, arabesque greenling,
and Japanese flying squid. Among them, the catches and value of landing of salmonids are predominant on the
Shari side while those of salmonids, walleye pollock, and Japanese flying squid are predominant on the Rausu
side.
- Recently, while the catch of Japanese flying squid has been decreasing, the catch of yellowtail (Seriola
quinqueradiata), a southern species, has been increasing, which is considered to be caused by climate change.
- Therefore, salmonids and walleye pollock that are the most important species in the marine ecosystem of theheritage site and the characteristic species that can be caught in large quantities and connect the marine andland ecosystems, and Japanese flying squid and yellowtail that may be affected by climate change and whosecatches have recently been changing are defined as indicator species.
[Management strategy]13

- Proper resource management and the sustainable use of salmonids, walleye pollock, and Japanese flying squidshould be promoted under the relevant laws, such as the Fisheries Law and the Fisheries Resource Protection
Law, while reflecting the autonomous management efforts of the local fishers and their organizations based on
the information collected by the monitoring of the fishes and various surveys in the waters surrounding Shiretoko.
(See note 6)- Research on the network of biological interaction in the ecosystems estimated from the dynamics of the indicatorspecies and marine-terrestrial circulation of material brought by salmonids running upstream for spawning should
be conducted to maintain and restore the linkage of marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
- Analyses of the mid and long-term variations in the volume of catches and average prices of the fish species (aratio between the value and the volume of catches) should be conducted using statistical data on volumes andthe values of catches of those species (Annual Statistics on Fishery and Aquaculture Production).
- Along with the above, the distribution and catch of Japanese flying squid, which represents the indicator species inthis region, should be observed to focus on the signs of climate change, including global warming.

(Note 6)
- In Japan, the sustainable use of living marine resources is promoted through a combination of official and autonomous
measures. Official restrictions include catch restrictions under the Fisheries Law and the Fisheries Resource Protection Law,
and management of the amount of extraction of living marine resources and fish catch efforts based on the Law Concerning
Conservation and Management of Marine Life Resources, which was established when the United Nations Convention on the
Law of the Sea came into effect. Autonomous resource management is conducted by fishers and fishery organizations utilizing
various surveys, which aim at the responsible use of resources and stable fishery management.

d. Marine Mammals[Current situation of the components]- In the waters surrounding Shiretoko, 2 orders, 9 families, 22 genera, and 28 species of marine mammals havebeen identified, including cetaceans, such as whales, dolphins, and porpoises, and pinnipeds, such as Steller sea
lions and seals.
- Those marine mammals constitute part of the higher-level predators in the marine area of the heritage site. The
waters surrounding Shiretoko are used by them as a seasonal migration route and foraging.
- Mammal-eating killer whale (Orcinus orca) (note 7) as the top predator in the marine ecosystem preying on othermarine mammals, including seals, on the sea ice also uses this marine area as feeding grounds. There havebeen numerous sightings especially in spring together with fish-eating killer whale, and they also attract attention
as a tourism resource.
- Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) use this marine area with high biological productivity as a wintering ground.
Seals that breed on ice (largha seals (Phoca largha), ribbon seals (Histriophoca fasciata), etc.) use the sea ice in14this marine area for foraging and breeding.
- There is a challenge in the relationship of the seals and Steller sea lions with the fishery, which is a key industry in
Hokkaido. Proper management of the migrating populations should be achieved while trying to alleviate thedamage to the fishing industry.
- Therefore, efforts are being made to promote countermeasures against fishery damage caused by marine
mammals and share information on the actual state of such fishery damage by holding liaison conferencescomposed of the relevant agencies to address the issue.

(Note 7)- The killer whale (Orcinus orca) is a species belonging to the family Delphinidae in the suborder Odontoceti of theorder Cetartiodactyla. Though it is currently classified as a single species, there are several ecotypes of killer
whales based on cultural and genetic differences, such as feeding habits.
- There are three ecotypes identified in the Northeast Pacific Ocean.
Mammal-eating (transient) killer whales: Medium-sized killer whales that feed mainly on marine mammals andare found in coastal waters and in the open sea.
Fish-eating (resident) killer whales: Medium-sized coastal killer whales that feed mainly on salmonids.
Fish-eating (offshore) killer whales: Small-sized killer whales that feed mainly on sharks and are found mainlyin the open sea. They are genetically similar to resident killer whales.
- In the Russian Far East of the Northwest Pacific Ocean, two types of killer whales, mammal-eating and fish-eating(resident) killer whales, are found. Both mammal-eating and fish-eating killer whales (it is unknown whether they
are resident or offshore killer whales) migrate to the marine area of Shiretoko mainly from around May to June.

(Steller sea lion)[Current situation]- From winter to spring, some groups of Steller sea lions migrate to the waters surrounding Shiretoko for winteringand foraging. They come from their breeding sites in Russian waters. These groups mainly consist of pregnant
females that are important for maintaining the populations.
- The western Steller sea lion (E. j. jubatus) is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN (International Union forConservation of Nature) Red List because the subspecies as a whole, including ones in the marine area around
Kamchatka and the Aleutian Islands, is considered to be declining in population. Among the western Steller sea
lions, however, the population of those coming to Japan (the breeding sites in the Kurils, the northern part of the
Sea of Okhotsk and Sakhalin) has been on a recovery trend since the 1990s, and thus the Ministry of theEnvironment has changed its classification on its Red List from Endangered to Near Threatened (NT) since 2012.
- Along the coasts of Hokkaido, including the waters surrounding Shiretoko, significant damage to the fishingindustry by Steller sea lions, including damage to fishing gear, such as bottom gill nets and set nets, and taking

15caught fish from nets, is a serious problem. Consequently, since 1994, the population of Steller sea lions has
been controlled within the quota for all of Hokkaido set up based on the Fisheries Law and other regulations, inaddition to various countermeasures against fishery damage.
- The national government and Hokkaido government are also conducting the surveys and research to alleviate
damage to the fishing industry.
[Selection of the indicator species]- The Steller sea lion is a higher-level predator in the marine area of the heritage site.
- Also, their population is considered to be declining internationally in the long term.
- On the other hand, there is damage to the fishing industry by migrating Steller sea lions in the waters surrounding
Shiretoko.
- Based on the above, the Steller sea lion is continuously defined as an indicator species.
[Management strategy]- The population of Steller sea lions should be managed based on the results of surveys and research on their ecology,
the number of migrating individuals, and the number of animals caught as bycatch, as well as based on the control
quota under the Fisheries Law.

(Seals)[Current Situation]- Seals that breed on ice (largha seals, ribbon seals, ringed seals (Pusa hispida), and bearded seals (Erignathus
barbatus)) migrate to the waters surrounding Shiretoko and breed and raise baby seals on the sea ice.
- They feed on a wide variety of marine animals, including Gadidae, Pleuronectidae, Cotidae, squids, andoctopuses.
- Seals have been managed under the Wildlife Protection, Control, and Hunting Management Act (hereinafter called
as the Wildlife Protection and Hunting Management Law) since 2003, and largha seals are caught as permitted
by the said law to prevent them from causing damage to the fishing industry. In addition, seals are caught as
bycatch in set nets and bottom set nets.
[Selection of the indicator species]- Largha seals are a higher-level predator in the marine area of the heritage site, and the population is large. The
marine area of the heritage site is an important foraging site, and the sea ice is an important breeding site.
- As largha seal pups feed on krill after being born and breastfed on sea ice, they are strongly linked to theenvironment where the sea ice is receding and the component of its ecosystem, i.e., their prey.
- With an increase in the number of largha seals migrating to Hokkaido, damage to the fishing industry, such as
scavenging hauls, is increasing, and so it is feared that they will affect the marine ecosystem locally. Therefore,
capture for control is implemented in this marine area too. There are also largha seals that are caught as bycatchthrough fishnets.

16

- Based on the above, largha seals that migrate to the waters surrounding Shiretoko are defined as an indicatorspecies.
[Conservation management strategy]- By cumulating findings through surveys on the state of migration and damage to the fishing industry and thecommittee of seals managements in Hokkaido comprising academic experts, fishers, and others, management
should be conducted in accordance with the Wildlife Protection and Hunting Management Law in line with the
Hokkaido seals management plan.
- It is important to conduct management considering the movement of largha seals in Russian waters that move inand out of the coast of Hokkaido, and thus cooperative research and information sharing with Russia are
indispensable.

(Whales)[Current situation]- The marine area of the heritage site is rich with food sources of all trophic levels, and many whales with different
feeding habits from zooplankton (such as krill) to marine mammals come to the area seasonally.
- The bottom topography of the west side of the Shiretoko Peninsula in the marine area of the heritage site featuresa gradually descending slope stretching 10 sea miles offshore, which is used by whales, including harbor
porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) that tend to live in coastal areas and Baird's beaked whales (Berardius bairdii)
that often descend to extreme depths.
- On the Rausu side of the marine area of the heritage site, the sea bottom descends steeply from the north ofRausu Harbor and reaches to a depth of more than 2,000 m in 3 sea miles offshore from the tip of the cape.
Thus, this sea area serves as a migration route for great whales including sperm whales (Physetermicrocephalus).
- The adoption of the commercial whaling moratorium by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in 1982
forced Japan to stop commercial whaling on large cetaceans. Though Japan had hunted small cetaceans notprotected by the IWC under the supervision of the Fisheries Agency, the country withdrew from the IWC on June30, 2019, and resumed commercial whaling of the three species of large cetaceans, including common minke
whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), for which there were enough resources in its territorial waters and exclusive
economic zone. Japan also set the total allowable catch (TAC) and started managing it in 2022.
- Though the common minke whale and the Baird's beaked whale which is a small cetacean are hunted in thewaters of the Sea of Okhotsk off Hokkaido, no whaling is done in the marine area of the heritage site.
[Selection of the indicator species]- Killer whale observed in the marine area of the heritage site increase in number with the coming of spring,
contributing to marine tourism as an important resource.
- Killer whales are the highest-level predator in the marine area of the heritage site as some groups prey on seals

17

on the sea ice.
- Based on the above, killer whale migrating to the marine area are defined as an indicator species.
[Conservation management strategy]- Efforts should be made to understand the ecology of the killer whale as an important marine tourism resource andthe top predator in the marine ecosystem by observing their population from a sightseeing boat. The number ofkiller whales caught as bycatch should be identified.

e. Birds[Current situation of the components]- The Shiretoko Peninsula and its surrounding marine area provide a diverse habitat for birds. Here, 286 species ofbirds belonging to 54 families in 18 orders are identified, and more than 30% of them use the marine area.
- Among the birds found on the Shiretoko Peninsula and in the surrounding marine area are 10 species placed in the
NT category or higher on both the IUCN Red List and the Japanese Red List compiled by the Ministry of theEnvironment (note 8): the Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) (NT on the IUCN Red List; VU on the Red List of the
Ministry of the Environment [IUCN’s and Ministry of the Environment’s categories are shown hereinafter
respectively]), Laysan albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) (NT; EN), short-tailed albatross (Phoebastria albatrus)(VU; VU), Japanese night heron (Gorsachius goisagi) (EN; VU), red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis) (EN; VU),
Japanese murrelet (Synthliboramphus wumizusume) (VU; VU), Steller’s sea eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus) (VU;
VU), Blakiston's fish owl (Bubo blakistoni) (EN; CR), yellow-breasted bunting (Emberiza aureola) (CR; CR), andJapanese yellow bunting (Emberiza sulphurata) (VU; NT). Most of these species use the marine area and coasts
as important feeding areas.
- There are a large number of seabird colonies on the coast of the Shiretoko Peninsula.

(Note 8)- The red lists include endangered wildlife produced by various entities such as the IUCN, the country, and theprefectures.
- The red lists categorize and assess each species based on the risk of extinction. The categories used by theJapanese Red List compiled by the Ministry of the Environment are as follows. Endangered species (threatened
species) are categorized in CR, EN, and VU(EX) Extinct: Species thought to already be extinct in Japan(EW) Extinct in the Wild: Species surviving in captivity, in cultivation, or as a naturalized population well outside
its natural range(CR) Critically Endangered: Species facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild in the very near
future(EN) Endangered: Species facing a high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future, but not to the extent of18

Critically Endangered(VU) Vulnerable: Species facing a growing risk of extinction(NT) Near-Threatened: Species facing a low risk of extinction for now that is likely to qualify for a threatened
category depending on changes in their habitat conditions(Seabirds)[Current situation]- There are many seabirds, such as spectacled guillemot (Cepphus carbo), Japanese cormorant (Phalacrocorax
capillatus), and slaty-backed gulls (Larus schistisagus) living on the rocky coast of the Shiretoko Peninsula.
These seabirds are protected under the Wildlife Protection and Hunting Management Law. They use the marine
area of the heritage site as a major habitat, including building nests on the cliffs along the coast along theheritage site. Thus, these birds can be considered species that characterize Shiretoko’s costal ecosystem.
- The spectacled guillemot is listed as Vulnerable (VU) on the MOEJ Red List. The population has been maintainedin recent years thanks to the efforts of sightseeing boat captains in avoiding getting too close to their nestingareas. On the other hand, the number of the nests of Japanese cormorants and slaty-backed gulls have been
drastically decreasing since the inscription of Shiretoko on the World Heritage List.
- Recently, the number of the nests slaty-backed gulls build on the roofs of the houses in the urban areas has been
rapidly increasing, and the breeding pattern has been drastically changing, which causes harmful effects on the
lives of the residents.
[Selection of the indicator species]- Though spectacled guillemots breed locally on the coasts from Hokkaido to Tohoku, they are strongly affected by
the recreational use of those coastal areas and need to be monitored carefully. Therefore, they are defined as anindicator species.
- The slaty-backed gull and Japanese cormorant are also defined as indicator species because they are major
seabirds breeding in large numbers in the coastal area of the heritage site.
[Conservation management strategy]- Various surveys and collection of information, including data on the distribution of these seabirds, should becontinued, proper management should be implemented in accordance with the Wildlife Protection and Hunting
Management Law, and methodology for assessing the effect of autonomous rules for use of the site should be
explored.
- For spectacled guillemot, management for the next generation, through which they will be wisely used with theirvalue improved as a local resource, should be promoted by establishing cooperative relationships in the region,
not just protecting them as such a resource.

(Sea Eagles)

19[Current situation]- The Shiretoko Peninsula is one of the major breeding grounds of the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) inJapan. Furthermore, a large number of white-tailed eagles and Steller’s sea eagles migrate to the area from
Russia in winter. They are designated as Domestic Endangered Species by the Law for Conservation ofEndangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (hereinafter referred to as “the Species Conservation Law”).
- Steller’s sea eagle breeds only in the far eastern part of Russia. Their population is estimated to be only around
5,000 to 7,000 individuals. The Shiretoko Peninsula is their major wintering ground where once more than 2,000
birds were observed.
- The Shiretoko Peninsula is one of the most important breeding grounds for white-tailed eagles in Japan and isalso important wintering grounds where up to 688 white-tailed eagles (February 2015), including those that
migrated to the peninsula, were found in winter. The estimated number of pairs is on the rise, and around 15 pairs
breed on the peninsula every year.
- The coast of the Shiretoko Peninsula provides an important wintering and living environment for Steller’s sea
eagles and white-tailed eagles because it has rich food resources, such as salmonids, and there are goodcontiguous forests that serve as roosts for eagles on the coastal slopes.
- On the other hand, there are incidents of eagles dying from lead poisoning caused by lead bullets left in the
carcass of sika deer (Cervus nippon).
[Selection of the indicator species]- Steller’s sea eagles and white-tailed eagles are higher-level predators in the marine area of the heritage site. They
also require careful monitoring from the standpoint of protecting threatened species. Therefore, they have been
defined as indicator species.
[Conservation management strategy]- Efforts should be made to understand and conserve the wintering grounds and environmental conditions for sea
eagles migrating to the area of the heritage site for wintering.
- Under the Species Conservation Law, strict protection and management of sea eagles that stay and breed in thearea should be implemented, including the protection of nesting areas and securing of food resources.

(4) Local Communities[Current situation]- The rich ecosystem of Shiretoko has served as a basis for fostering the local culture and development of thefishery and tourism as key industries, as well as providing grounds for academic research.
- In Shiretoko, registration on the UNESCO list of world heritage sites has promoted the diversification of tourism. In
this context, new recreational uses of the waters surrounding Shiretoko, such as sea kayaking and scuba diving,are increasing, in addition to the conventional sightseeing and leisure cruises and angling in the waters.
- Those industries and those forms of use not only bring economic benefits and job creation to the local

20

communities but also are regarded useful for educational purposes, including experiential learning.
- In addition, various kinds of knowledge and experience that have been accumulated for years in Shiretoko areimportant information sources not only for fully understanding the entire ecosystem of Shiretoko and its changes,
but also for studying the linkage to people’s vocations and the social impact that may be a concern in the future.
- In April 2022, there was a serious accident where a sightseeing boat sank. The accident not only killed many
people but also affected fishers and other organizations concerned because of the search and rescue efforts andforced the sightseeing boat operators to refrain from operating their boats, resulting in a significant negative
impact.
[Challenges]- There is a concern that unregulated recreational use of the waters surrounding Shiretoko may have adverse
effects on the fishery and the marine ecosystem.
- Furthermore, the waters surrounding Shiretoko and the coastal area of the peninsula are the habitat and breeding
ground of seabirds and marine mammals. There is a concern that human activities, such as navigation of boats,and unregulated feeding and watching at close range may affect the survival of seabirds and marine mammals.
- For ensuring both the conservation of the marine ecosystem and management of living marine resources in themarine area of the heritage site, interests between stakeholders that use various ecosystem services have to becoordinated. Therefore, the benefits of ecosystem services to the local communities need to be evaluated insocial and economic terms in order to understand those benefits.
- In order to prevent marine accidents and protect passengers when accidents happen, a safety management
system should be reinforced by complying with the laws and regulations, securing the means of rescue andcommunication, and setting the criteria for deciding whether to operate services or not as part of the safetymeasures for the use of the marine area.
[Management strategy]- For fish species where the catches are significantly decreasing, the cause, whether a decrease in resources,
migration, or demand, or some other reason, should be scrutinized. If a decrease in resources is the cause, thereason should be determined.
- In the case of significant movements in average fish prices, the cause should be scrutinized to explore whether
there is any sign of smaller fish due to overfishing.
- The contribution of key fish species that support local fisheries should be examined from the catches to explore
the stability and future outlook of fishery management.
- To secure safety in the recreational use of the marine area and prevent it from having an adverse impact on themarine ecosystem by interfering with the operation of the fishing industry, which is the key industry of the local
area, the rules on the recreational use of the marine area developed by the relevant organs, such as the country,
the prefecture, and the local towns, should be implemented, and public awareness of those rules should beraised while continuously monitoring the status of the recreational use of the marine area.

21-Both benefits brought to people by the marine ecosystem and the impacts that human activities have on the
resource should be understood through analysis of the local communities for contributing to sustainable
conservation and use of the marine ecosystem.

- In addition, monitoring results should be shared between stakeholders concerned so as to adapt to any change
caused by climate change, including global warming, and the policies of the local communities and economic
activities, as well as measures for responding to such change, should be organized.
- Knowledge accumulated by users of local diverse ecosystem services through vocational work and new
information gained by visitors through sightseeing should be regarded as a complement to the scientificmonitoring that has been conducted, and development of a system for collecting them should be considered.

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4 Management Measures(1) Marine environment and production in lower trophic levels- Observations should be conducted using the satellites, oceanographic buoys in the waters, and research vessels
to study the marine environment that supports the marine ecosystem.
- As the production in lower trophic levels, such as the production by zooplankton and phytoplankton, is directly
affected by the changes in the marine environment caused by global climate change, the state of sea ice in the
Sea of Okhotsk, seasonal and annual changes of the cold East Sakhalin current and the warm Soya current, andthe behavior of the intermediate cold water of the Sea of Okhotsk should be monitored.
- The ecosystems in intertidal and subtidal zones with particularly high biodiversity are expected to be influenced byincreasing water temperature and physical disturbances, such as seasonal sea ice and bomb cyclones, moreeasily than those in other marine ecosystems. Therefore, monitoring of flora and fauna, as well as theirquantitative changes, should be conducted on a regular basis.
- As these surveys are also important as monitoring of the environment in the waters surrounding Shiretoko and canserve the function of capturing the signs of climate change, including global warming, they should be continued
and further developed.
- In promoting monitoring or research, the relevant administrative bodies, survey or research institutions, and local
parties concerned, including fishery cooperatives, should cooperate and coordinate and should enhance theexchange of information on the observation system and the results of studies.
- Based on the results of the monitoring and research, changes in the environment of the marine area of theheritage site will be understood; furthermore, efforts for prediction of changes in the marine ecosystem should be
made. All these results will be utilized for the realization of conservation of the marine ecosystem and asustainable fishery industry.

(2) Coastal Environmenta. Marine Pollution- Prevention of marine pollution will be implemented based on relevant legislation.
- For oil spill accidents caused by marine vessels, the regional Council for Countermeasures against Oil Spill
Disasters is established on the basis of the Law Relating to the Prevention of Marine Pollution and Maritime
Disaster. In this Council, together with the institutions responsible for the environmental conservation of thecoastal waters along the heritage site, concrete oil removal measures should be discussed. In the event of an
accident, the institutions concerned, including the national government, Hokkaido government, and towns, should
work together to collect and remove the oil quickly and adequately to conserve the marine ecosystem.
- Analysis of oil, cadmium, and other substances in the seawater and in seafloor sediment should be continued tounderstand the present state of marine pollution on the northeast coast of Hokkaido potentially caused by23

Sakhalin oil development.

b. Natural Landscapes- The coastal area of the heritage site is designated a Special Protection Zone or Special Zones of the Shiretoko
National Park under the Natural Parks Law. Within this area, certain activities are regulated in order to conserve
the scenic beauty of the site.
- The marine area of the heritage site is designated as an Ordinary Zone under the Natural Parks Law. Within thisarea, certain activities, including land reclamation and new construction beyond a certain scale, are regulated inorder to conserve the scenic beauty and biodiversity of the site.
- For the conservation of scenic beauty, regular patrols should be conducted to accurately monitor the state of thenatural environment and park utilization, as well as to instruct visitors and crackdown on violations.
- In accordance with the changes in social conditions, the park area and park plan of Shiretoko National Parkshould be reviewed approximately every five years based on scientific knowledge and other factors.

c. Drifting and Washed-up Debris- Information dissemination and awareness raising should be promoted regarding the current situation of and efforts
made against drifting and washed-up debris in the marine area of the heritage site, making full use of websites
and other media, as well as the facilities related to the heritage site, such as visitor centers.
- While collecting information on the situation of drifting and washed-up debris, regular cleaning should be
conducted in cooperation and collaboration with not only the administrative agencies concerned but also otheractivities, including volunteer clean-up activities by local governments and NPOs, with consideration given to thenatural environment.

(3) Indicator Species- Monitoring of the following indicator species will be conducted, and continuous management based on the conceptof adaptive management will be implemented. Also, a certain role should be assumed in the monitoring of climatechange, including global warming, with a focus not only on the indicator species but on the dynamics of otherspecies that have linkage in the ecosystem as a reference.

a. Salmonids- An assessment was made on 100 artificial constructions in the rivers within the heritage site and their lower
reaches as to their impact on escapement and natural spawning of wild salmonids, and 13 ones in five rivers
were judged to be obstacles in need of improvement.
- In response to the assessment results, improvement of those constructions was carried out by their administratorsand resulted in ascertaining that both the number of wild salmonids spawning upstream and the number of24

spawning redd increased.
- Wild salmonids, which convey marine-derived material to the terrestrial ecosystem, should be secured as to theirescapement and natural spawning in the future, and those obstacles, such as the artificial river construction,
should be avoided to the extent practicable.
- Based on legislation, including the Fisheries Law, set nets are designated as the standard marine fishing gear for
salmonids, and fishing is prohibited in all rivers and near the mouths of certain rivers to protect the resources.
Hatchery chum and pink salmon (Oncorhynchus keta and O. gorbuscha) programs, which are carried out incertain rivers for a sustainable fishery, should also further promote the proper management and sustainable useof salmon resources.
- To make sure that the population of salmonids that reproduce naturally is maintained, the monitoring and intensive
study of their migration, run, and spawning, and their juveniles’ seaward migration should be conducted on aregular basis.

b. Walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus)- For walleye pollock, gill net and longline fishings are conducted in the waters surrounding Shiretoko, mostly
offshore of Rausu Town, with the permission of the governor of Hokkaido under the Regulation of Sea Fisheries
Adjustment in Hokkaido that was established on the basis of the Fisheries Law and the Fisheries Resources
Protection Law.
- Under the Fisheries Law, the national government and Hokkaido Prefecture set the upper limit of the catch [total
allowable catch (TAC)] every year based on studies, including resource surveys and resource assessments
conducted by research institutions, to control the fish catch.
- In addition to these restrictions based on these fishery laws, immature walleye pollock populations are protectedby resource management agreements signed by all fishery organizations throughout Hokkaido.
- Furthermore, local fishers are implementing autonomous management measures for the protection of spawning
fish, including restrictions on the period and area of fishing and on the mesh size of gill nets, with considerations
given to their state of maturation and other factors.
- Proper management and sustainable use of walleye pollock resources that migrate into the marine area of theheritage site should be continued and promoted through measures based on these fishery laws and theautonomous efforts of fishery operators and organizations in the waters surrounding Shiretoko.
- Russian trawlers are catching walleye pollock from the single stock in the Nemuro Strait, which raises concerns
about the impact on living marine resources and the ecosystem of the waters. To address this concern, efforts
should be continued through various conferences and networks of researchers by gathering as much informationas possible on Russian resource management and other relevant issues, exchanging information on marine
ecosystem conservation and other nature conservation issues, and making the necessary appeals to the Russian
side.

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c. Japanese flying squid (Todarodes pacificus)- For Japanese flying squid, set net fishing with a fishing license from the governor of Hokkaido under the Fisheries
Law and fishing using a squid-jigging machine with the permission of the governor of Hokkaido under the
Regulation of Sea Fisheries Adjustment in Hokkaido that was established on the basis of the Fisheries Law and
the Fisheries Resources Protection Law are conducted in the waters surrounding Shiretoko, mostly in the waters
off Shiretoko Peninsula and Rausu Town.
- Under the Law Concerning Conservation and Management of Marine Life Resources established on the basis of
the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the national government and Hokkaido Prefecture set theupper limit of the catch [total allowable catch (TAC) every year based on the studies, including resource survey
and resource assessment conducted by research institutions, to control the catch.
- In addition to these restrictions based on these fishery laws, the resource is protected by days of suspension offishing, catch adjustments, and catch control by stopping squid fishing according to the decisions on fishingactivities in the marine area offshore of Hokkaido made by the Hokkaido Squid Fishery Association.
- Japanese flying squid caught in the waters surrounding Shiretoko mainly comprise a winter-spawning group thatmoves up the Pacific Ocean in and after autumn and migrates into the Sea of Okhotsk through the cohort aroundthe Northern Territories. In summer, part of the catch is an autumn-spawning cohort that migrates from thecoastal area of the Sea of Okhotsk along the Soya Warm Current.
- The number of Japanese flying squid migrating to the waters surrounding Shiretoko is significantly affected by thelevel of success in the reproduction and participation of the winter-spawning cohort that is born between January
and March in the East China Sea and moves up the Pacific Ocean and the marine environment including thecoastal Okhotsk Current and warm eddies off the east and north of Hokkaido.
- It has been clarified that the catch of Japanese flying squid in the waters surrounding Shiretoko increases during
the warm regime where the temperature of the waters surrounding Japan is high and decreases during the cold
regime where walleye pollock are dominant in the waters. The annual change in the number of Japanese flying
squid migrating to this marine area is linked to the changes in pelagic fish species, such as sardines, that
respond to the changes in the marine environment of the waters surrounding Japan, including this marine area.
Proper use of the resources should be promoted based on the continued monitoring of changes in the catchlinked to the changes in the marine environment, and behavior prediction of the resource made by the national
governments and Hokkaido Prefecture, as well as TAC set by them.

d. Yellowtail (Seriola quinqueradiata)- For yellowtail, set net fishing with a license from the governor of Hokkaido under the Fisheries Law is conducted in
the waters surrounding Shiretoko, mainly in the waters off the coast of the Shiretoko Peninsula.
- The number of yellowtail caught in the waters surrounding Shiretoko has rapidly increased in Shari Town and
Rausu Town since 2012 and 2013, respectively, and most of them are caught using salmon set nets.

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- The yellowtail is a coastal migratory fish that spawns in the waters from the East China Sea and the marine areas
to western Japan and travels north along the coast of the Sea of Japan to Hokkaido. As the optimal watertemperature for yellowtail is in the upper 10s and higher and the expansion of their distribution range mainly
caused by the rise in seawater temperature may have contributed to the significant increase in the catch ofyellowtail in the waters surrounding Shiretoko, close attention should be paid to changes in the catch.

e. Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus)- Until 2012, the total number of animals to be captured in Hokkaido had been determined on the basis of the
Potential Biological Removal (PBR) method focusing on conservation and restoration, and among them, thepermissible capture limit of 7 to 12 animals had been allocated to the marine area of the Nemuro Strait. In
response to the increase in damage caused by the animals to the fishery industry, the capture limit was increased
to 15 animals in 2013.
- Since 2014/15, instead of the conservation-oriented PBR method, management of the population of Steller sea
lions that migrate to the coast of the Japan Sea in Hokkaido has begun. The Nemuro Strait is separated from thismanagement system, and the permissible capture limit of 15 animals is continued in the area in consideration of
the migration conditions and damage caused by the animals to the fishery industry.
- For Steller sea lions migrating to the Nemuro Strait, research by visual observation on shore is currently
conducted; however, the increase in the operation of sightseeing boats and driving away Steller sea lions toalleviate the damage to the fishery industry has affected the number of the animals observed in recent years. The
decline in number of animals observed visually on the coast of the Nemuro Strait may be caused by thesefactors, while the capture number of the animals has been within the set limit.
- Other than the surveys by visual observation, research using drones began after the formulation of the second
term marine management plan, which is contributing to the increase in the cases of reading a brand identifying
the original breeding site. Monitoring and research should be promoted to make it possible to analyze thedynamics of the original populations of Steller sea lions migrating to the marine area by a more detailed model
incorporating the result of research of the breeding sites and biological information on the age structure of
migrating individuals. Adaptive management based on scientific knowledge should be pushed ahead to alleviate
damage to the fishing industry and to maintain the population at a healthy level.

f. Largha seal (Phoca largha)- Capturing largha seals requires the permission of the governor of Hokkaido based on the Wildlife Protection andHunting Management Law.
- Permission to capture wildlife is given based on the permission criteria defined in the Hokkaido Wildlife Protection
Project Plan that is formulated every five years, and the capture permission in the marine area of the heritagesite is also given according to the criteria.

27

- Long-term monitoring of the population trend of largha seals in the marine area of the heritage site, as well as
surveys of damage to the fishery industry, should be continued. Also, the proper operation of the capture
permission system should be ensured to promote protection and management of largha seals.

g. Killer whale (Orcinus orca)- Efforts should be made to understand the ecology of the killer whale as an important marine tourism resource andthe top predator in the marine ecosystem by identifying individual killer whales from a sightseeing boat. The
number of killer whales caught as bycatch should be identified.

h. Spectacled Guillemot (Cepphus carbo), Slaty-backed Gull (Larus schistisagus), and JapaneseCormorant (Phalacrocorax capillatus)- Capturing seabirds is prohibited, in principle, based on the Wildlife Protection and Hunting Management Law. The
adequate protection and management based on the law should be continued.
- Various surveys and the collection of information on the state of distribution and populations, including the state in
the marine area, should be implemented, and then adequate protection and management should be promoted.
For the spectacled guillemot in particular, any decrease in the breeding population should be avoided- For use of the marine area for recreational fishing boats and sightseeing boats, any negative impact on theseabirds should be alleviated by requiring compliance with the routes that will not have an impact on the seabirds
based on autonomous rules. Also, measures for evaluating the effect should be explored.
- For the spectacled guillemot, which is a resource for tourism in the heritage site, installation of decoys forrestoration of breeding grounds, monitoring of the spectacled guillemot on sightseeing boats, and PR activities
are implemented, aiming at the improvement of the value.
- Information gained through the activities mentioned above should be shared by institutions concerned for
promoting sophisticated use of the resource for tourism.

i. Steller’s sea eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus) / white-tailed eagle (H. albicilla)- Steller’s sea eagle and the white-tailed eagle are designated National Endangered Species under the Species
Conservation Law and Natural Monument of Japan under the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties, andtheir hunting, killing or damaging, and transfer are prohibited. Strict protection and management based on theselaws should be continued.
- In addition, Programmes for Rehabilitation of Natural Habitats and Maintenance of Viable Populations under theSpecies Conservation Law are developed for both Steller’s sea eagles and white-tailed eagles. In line with these
programs, various projects, including studies and monitoring of the migration routes across Hokkaido and their
behavior and the rescue and rehabilitation of injured or sick birds, should be implemented. Also, the results of thesurveys on nesting sites and the state of breeding should be obtained in collaboration with the researchers or28

others who have already been studying them continuously. Based on the examination of the results of thoseprojects and surveys at the regular meeting of Conservation Committee for White-Tailed and Steller’s Sea
Eagles, adaptive protection and management measures that will contribute to increasing their populations shouldbe implemented.
- The forests on the coastal slopes of the heritage site that provide an important wintering ground for these birds
should be conserved. Also, activities for awareness raising and guidance should be conducted to warn users notto get close to the nesting sites during the white-tailed eagle’s breeding season.
- The use of lead bullets is prohibited in the hunting of large mammals to prevent the lead poisoning of Steller’s sea
eagles and white-tailed eagles, and thus efforts should be made to give guidance and monitor the observance ofthe prohibition.

(4) Local communities
a. Conservation of the marine ecosystem and regional development- Benefits brought to the local communities by the marine ecosystem in the Shiretoko region should be understoodfrom the trends of local industries, including the fishery and tourism, and proper management measures anddevelopment of rules should be promoted, in order to ensure the balance between conservation of the marine
ecosystem and regional development.

b. Marine recreation- For the operation of recreational fishing boats and sightseeing boats, it is necessary to require boat operators toensure the safe operation of those boats by collecting necessary information about meteorological andoceanographic phenomena to ensure the safety of users, making a decision to stop operating as necessary
based on the operational rules and voluntary rules, installing the equipment for safety according to the applicablelaws and regulations, and appropriately providing information to users.
- Because there is a concern that the operation of those boats may affect seabirds, marine mammals, and fisheries,
the monitoring of the recreational use of the marine area should be continued, and a review of instructions to giveshould be conducted while requiring the operators to follow the routes that cause no negative impact on seabirds,
marine mammals, and fisheries and the voluntary rules based on the Shiretoko National Park Management Plan
and the Conduct in the Use of the Shiretoko Peninsula Apical Region. For the recreational use of the marine areaby power vessels and sea kayaks, strict instructions must be given in cooperation and collaboration with therelevant organs to make sure that those recreational activities are conducted under certain rules on use so thatthey have no negative impact on seabirds, marine mammals, and fisheries.
- For other recreational use of the coastal area, such as diving and other educational activities on sea ice in winter,
continuous monitoring should be implemented, and concrete policies should be discussed.

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c. Climate change, including global warming, and local communities- Vulnerability of society and the economy in the Shiretoko region to climate change should be evaluated in order toorganize and share with stakeholders the basic concepts for measures needed to alleviate and adapt to climatechange, and rules for the fishery and use for tourism should be reviewed according to the evaluation result.

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5 Administrative Structure and Operation(1) Implementation of the Plan
- In order to accomplish the plan’s objectives, administrative bodies, including the Ministry of the Environment andHokkaido Prefecture, that hold jurisdiction over various systems and measures related to Shiretoko, as well as
relevant organizations, such as fishery cooperatives and research institutions, should closely cooperate topromote their respective measures for the conservation of the marine ecosystem of the heritage site and forstable fisheries. At the same time, human resources who are involved in these organizations should be
developed.
- For the proper promotion of this plan, information on the progress of the plan including the results of various
measures will be reported to the Shiretoko World Natural Heritage Site Scientific Council and advice will besought as necessary.

(2) Preparation of the annual report- Information on the progress of the plan including the results of various measures should be published and sharedthrough reports to the Shiretoko World Natural Heritage Site Regional Liaison Committee, the website of the
Ministry of the Environment, Shiretoko World Heritage Conservation Center, Shiretoko Rausu Visitor Center, andother lectures for residents, and the monitoring results and the results of the evaluations conducted by the Marine
Area Working Group of the Shiretoko World Natural Heritage Site Scientific Council should be compiled in anannual report every year to properly manage the heritage site.

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