O The volume of aquaculture harvest in Iwate Prefecture has recovered to 85% of the level before the earthquake for wakame seaweed and to 49% for kelp. Meanwhile, the volume of aquaculture harvest in Miyagi Prefecture has recovered to 85% of the level before the earthquake for wakame seaweed and to 79% for coho salmon.
O There is a delay in harvest of oysters and lavers because cultured oysters normally require two to three years until harvest, and laver aquaculture needs a large amount of capital investment in a fully automatic dry laver manufacturing machine, etc., and for both oysters and lavers, there was a need to raise the land for the facilities that had sank due to the earthquake disaster.
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O All 34 wholesale fishery markets in the production areas of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures were affected by the earthquake disaster. Among them, all 22 facilities in Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures resumed operations by September 2012. Of the 12 wholesale fishery markets in production areas in Fukushima Prefecture that have been strongly affected by the accident of TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, only one facility (Onahama) has resumed operations (as of the end of December 2013).
O In Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures, damage to 952 fishery processing facilities was reported. Of the 825 facilities that wished to reopen, operations have been resumed at 645 facilities (as of the end of December 2013). According to a questionnaire survey targeting 224 fishery processors in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures, the percentage of processors whose production capacity had recovered to a level equal to or higher than the level before the earthquake as of March 2014 was 14% in Iwate Prefecture, 13% in Miyagi Prefecture and 2% in Fukushima Prefecture. The percentage of those whose production capacity had recovered to a level equal to or higher than 80% of the level before the earthquake was 57% in Iwate Prefecture, 49% in Miyagi Prefecture and 24% in Fukushima Prefecture. Meanwhile, the percentage of fishery processors whose sales had recovered to a level equal to or higher than the level before the earthquake was 11% in Iwate Prefecture, 8% in Miyagi Prefecture and 6% in Fukushima Prefecture, and those whose sales had recovered to a level equal to or higher than 80% of the level before the earthquake was 44% in Iwate Prefecture, 36% in Miyagi Prefecture and 10% in Fukushima Prefecture. It is a challenge to recover the sales channels and develop high-value-added products in order to recover sales.
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O Since April 2011, fishers and specialized operators have been working on removal of debris. By the end of December 2013, removal of debris had been completed at 97% of fishing grounds for set net fisheries and 98% of aquaculture sites.
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OA total of 48 salmon and trout hatcheries from Aomori to Ibaraki Prefectures were damaged. Among them, 30 facilities have been recovered (as of the end of December 2013). The seed production capacity of salmon and trout has recovered to about 85% of the level before the earthquake within FY2013.
O As for seed production facilities for stocking purpose of sole, abalone, sea urchins, etc., 23 facilities from Hokkaido to Ibaraki Prefectures were damaged. Among them, 11 facilities have recovered. Six facilities are under restoration work (as of June 2013). The seed production capacity of sole, abalone and sea urchins had recovered to about 60% of the level before the earthquake within FY2012.
[Progress status of reconstruction of the fishing industry (as of March 11, 2014)]