## (3) Fishery enforcement to ensure compliance with resource management rules

O Shore reef living resources such as abalone, sea cucumbers, etc. are subject to common fishery rights, which are licensed to fisheries cooperatives, and fishery operators themselves preserve and manage the resources. However, these resources include many that are valuable, and are comparatively easy to catch using simple diving equipments. There have been many incidents of leisure customers catching there resources as well as criminal organizations carrying out fish poaching as a source of funds.

In addition, violations of regulations (such as for the operating periods, zones) by fishers for fisheries upset the order of fishery resource management, and thus it is necessary to prevent and control such violations.

To enforce the above issues, authorized fisheries supervisors from the Fisheries Agency and authorized fisheries supervising officers from prefectural governments are carrying out activities in coordination with relevant organizations such as the Japan Coast Guard and prefectural governments. In addition, fishers themselves are taking charge of patrolling their fishing grounds.

## (4) Aquatic environment that nurtures fishery resources

O Seagrass beds are important as nursing grounds for young fish and egg-laying of aquatic animals. However, the area of seagrass beds is decreasing significantly due to the development of coastal areas and “sea desertification.”

○ Tidal flats are important not only as places where various kinds of organisms can be grown, but as buffer zones that suppress sudden changes in the concentration of nutrient salts that flow in from land areas. However, the area of tidelands is decreasing due to land reclamations.

☐ The national government has created guidelines that include approaches and measures to counteract sea desertification and the dissipation of tidal flats, and is promoting their popularization as well as support for conservation activities of seagrass beds and tidal flats by fishers and local residents.

Trends in the area of seaweed beds and tidal flats

Conservation activities for seagrass beds, tidal flats, etc. by fishers and local residents

Source: Ministry of the Environment, National Survey on the Natural Environment and survey by the Fisheries Agency (2007)

Tillage work of tidal flats using a tractor in 1998

## (5) Damage to fisheries by wildlife and harmful organisms

With regard to fisheries operations in the waters surrounding Japan, there has been feeding damage to fish catches, delay of work, damage to fishing equipment caused by wildlife and harmful organisms such as Steller's sea lions, seals, longheaded eagle rays, sea squirts and large jellyfish.

☐ The national and prefectural governments are implementing measures such as provision of information to fishers and surveys related to the state of occurrence of harmful organisms, as well as extermination and clearing of harmful organisms.

Locations of occurrence of fishery damage and related details

Name of wildlife/ harmful organism	Region of occurrence	Details of damage
Large jellyfish	Sea of Japan side, Sanriku coast	Started appearing in vast quantities in 2002, causing damage such as breakage of fish nets and degradation of catches, etc.
Longheaded eagle rays	Sea of Ariake, Seto Inland Sea	Feeding damage to clams and fan-mussels
Steller's sea lions	Hokkaido, Aomori Prefecture	Damage to fishing equipment and feeding damage to catches
Seals	Hokkaido	Damage to fishing equipment and feeding damage to catches
Sea squirts	Hokkaido, Aomori Prefecture	Damage to scallop aquaculture