February 10, 2016

Press Release

Fisheries Research Agency
Japan Agency for Marine-earth Science and Technology

Fisheries Research Agency and Marine-earth Science and Technology Agency to conclude comprehensivepartnership agreement

1. Overview
The Japan Fisheries Research Agency (FRA) and the Japan Agency for Marine-earth Science and Technology(JAMSTEC) are set to sign a comprehensive partnership agreement on February 17, 2016 with the aim ofcontributing to the development of the fishery industry and the welfare of regional and international societies
through the improvement of science and technology related to marine life and fisheries. The signing of theagreement will be held at the Tokyo office of JAMSTEC.

2. Objectives
The agreement is aimed at integrating the research and development capabilities and platforms of FRA, which
possesses strengths in researching coastal and shallow-water areas and higher trophic-level producers, and ofJAMSTEC, which possesses strengths in researching offshore and deep-sea regions and lower trophic-levelecosystems. Under the agreement, the two agencies plan to carry out seamless research and development
activities—from basic and foundational research to the verification and application of developments—andmutually cooperate towards solving various problems. They plan to carry out cross-organizational research anddevelopment beyond existing collaborative frameworks through an integrated and comprehensive approach toimprove science and technology related to marine life and fisheries and contribute to the development of theindustrial sector as well as the welfare of regional and international societies.

3. Duration of agreement: February 17, 2016 to March 31, 2017
The duration of the agreement is subject to renewal every two years after the agreement expires upon consultation
between the two agencies.

4. The partnership agreement shall cover the following.
(1) Research and development collaboration through joint research and other activities(2) Training and exchange of personnel(3) Mutual use of research facilities and equipment(4) Collaborations with academia and industry, and other activities aimed at contributing to society(5) Other activities that FRA and JAMSTEC deem necessary for attaining the objectives of this agreement

5. Expected outcomes: The two agencies expect to achieve the following through the promotion of joint research
activities and projects.

(1) Utilize the marine bioresources and big data related to habitats environments acquired by the two agencies intheir advanced research on marine science and fisheries to accurately predict the effects of climatic changes andocean acidification on marine ecosystems, develop effective and adaptive technologies, and convey these
activities and their results to society as a whole.
(2) Leverage the advanced technologies and cutting-edge facilities and equipment of the two agencies tointegrally analyze genome information and other diverse life phenomena, elucidate the various functions ofmarine bioresources and the substances involved in those functions, and develop technologies aimed at theadvanced use of bioresources and ecosystems.
(3) Combine FRA’s advanced technologies in rearing of marine life and capabilities in fisheries research with
JAMSTEC’s capabilities in global-scale marine research to deepen understanding of the biological diversity,
structure, and functions of marine ecosystems that have highly migratory resources, such as those of eel andtuna, at the top of the food chain.
(4) Consolidate JAMSTEC’s capabilities in developing tools for survey and observation with both agencies’
proven investigative capabilities nurtured through long years of research to carry out survey and research infisheries and enhance the sophistication of methods for evaluating and managing fishery resources.
The two agencies plan to carry out comprehensive research—from basic research to verification—related tomarine life and fisheries and establish an organized and close cooperative relationship based on research exchange
and human resource development to contribute to the development of the fishery industry and solving problems
related to climate change and other global issues through the generation of sound research results based on
scientific evidence.