## (Women's activities in the fishing industry and fishing communities)

Women in fishing communities play particularly important roles in fishery-related operations on land and fishery processing plants. In order to revitalize fishery, aquaculture and fishing communities, women's initiatives which make use of their characteristics are hoped for in undertaking sixth industry in their fishing communities.

## Women's activities hoped for the revitalization of fishing, aquaculture and fishing communities (based on multiple responses)

(Activities of fishery cooperative women's divisions)

Women process locally-caught amberstripe scad and flying fish for sale to schools on and off the island for use in school lunches (Hachijojima Fishery Cooperative Women's Division)

Source: MAFF, Opinion Survey Concerning Food, Agriculture, Farming Communities, Fisheries and Fishery Products (conducted January and February 2012)

Note: This survey targeted 500 MAFF Information Monitors who were persons engaged in fishery and aquaculture. Response rate: 83.6% (418 respondents).

## (2) Development related to business management of fisheries and aquaculture

## (Comprehensive measures for compensation of the fishers' loss of incomes)

To ensure a steady supply of fishery products to the people, it is important to sustain fishing industry operators that effectively use Japan's rich fishery resources while properly managing them.

For this reason, starting in April 2011, the Government implemented and is steadily promoting its “Resource Management/Fishery Income Compensation Measures,” a comprehensive income compensation system combining: (a) resource management and income stabilization measures (utilizing Fishery Mutual Aid); and (b) cost reduction measures to mitigate the rising prices of fuel and formula feed (Project to Create a Safety Net for Fishing Businesses).

Given the upward trend of fuel prices, the Government eased the condition for application of the cost reduction measures (starting FY2012) to improve assistance in the event that fuel and formula feed prices remain high for the long term.

## Outline of the resource management/fishery income compensation measures

## Engagement in resource management activity

Based on resource management guidelines formulated by the national and prefectural government, a fisher (organization) creates a resource management plan describing the resource management measures, such as suspending fishery operations, restricting the catch volume, and restricting the fishing gear, which the fisher (organization) will carry out, and securely implements that plant.

In the case of aquaculture, from the viewpoint of improving the aquaculture area, an operator strictly observes the appropriate volume of cultured organisms specified in the aquaculture area improvement plan prepared by a fisheries cooperative, based on the Sustainable Aquaculture Production Assurance Act.

## Contribution of funds

Funded by fishers and government

## I mplementation of the resource management/income stability measures

✓ When an income decreased by an amount exceeding a predetermined amount(*) from the reference income level (note), the decreased income is compensated by the fishery mutual aid (up to 80% in principle) and/or Tsumitate Plus (business management stability measures) (up to 90% in principle).

✓ A compensation is provided for resource management activity by using the systems of fishery mutual aid and Tsumitate Plus.

* The amount of the compensation is equivalent to 30% of the fishery mutual aid premium (average) or the national government's share of fund contributions to the Tsumitate Plus (fisher I: national government 3).

Starting FY 2012 the types of aquaculture covered by Fishery Mutual Aid were expanded to include sea urchin, sea squirt and other marine products.

## Compensation in the case of a price hike

✓ Compensations are provided for the amount over the standard line when the cost of crude oil and formula feed is high.

✓ Compensation standards have been revised for FY 2012 to counteract cases of prolonged high prices.

• Compensation standard reduced from "two-year average x 115%" to "average of five of the last seven years x 115%" for the 1st quarter of FY 2012.

• Compensation standard reduced from “average of five of the last seven years x 115%” to “average of five of the last seven years x 100%” for the 4th quarter of FY 2012.