## (3) Status of fishery product consumption

O Japanese people’s annual per capita consumption of fishery products for human consumption, which had been on a decline since 2001, has shown signs of hitting the bottom in 2012. The per household spending on fresh fishery products in 2013 has continued to increase over the previous year since March of this year, indicating signs of recovery in fishery product consumption in terms of value. In terms of consumption volume, the volume dropped by 9% from the previous year in September, and by 7% in October.

There is a persistently strong desire among consumers to increase the frequency of eating fish dishes. Accordingly, it is important to develop a sales strategy that takes into account the awareness of consumers who want easy-to-use products and the changes in the social situation amid the advancement of aging.

O It is desirable to use school meals as a means to convey the tastiness of fishery products through easy-to-eat dishes and to appropriately teach how to eat fish.

O Many studies have elucidated the health benefits of eating fishery products.

[Changes in the annual per capita consumption volume (edible portion) of fishery products for human consumption]

Source: MAFF, Food Supply and Demand

[Changes in the increase over the previous year of per household spending on and purchase volume of fresh fishery products (2013)]

## [Column: Fishery products and UNESCO intangible cultural heritage “Washoku”]

O Japan has a dietary culture called “Washoku,” characterized by diverse and abundant seasonal ingredients and foods, a nutritionally balanced dietary composition, and a close link between meals and annual events or life ceremonies. Washoku is also highly evaluated by foreign countries. In December 2013, Washoku was registered as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage as the traditional dietary culture of the Japanese.

O Fishery products constitute an important part of Washoku not only as ingredients but also as an important component in broth, which is a key factor in the taste of Washoku.

Fishery products indispensable for broth as a base of Washoku

## Examples of efforts to supply fishery products for school meals

O The Hokkaido Trawl Fisheries Cooperative Federation manufactures frozen food such as deep-fried fish coated with bread crumbs or flour, using Alaska pollack and Atka mackerel which are usually used to make fish paste, and sells them for use in school meals.

In FY2011, Ishikawa Prefecture and JF Ishikawa have started a project on model school meals using Ishikawa's fish, aiming to achieve stable use of fish produced in the prefecture in school meals. They collect knowledge for stably supplying fish produced in the prefecture to be used in school meals.

The Ito Fishery Cooperative (Shizuoka Prefecture) minces smaller-than-standard mackerel, etc. by using a machine for separating fish meat from bones. It sells this for use in school meals and to nursing care facilities for the elderly as “fresh harvested fish paste.”

The Mie Union of Fisheries Co-operative Association (Mie Gyoren) has developed products that can be eaten to the bones by cooking small-size, low-price fishery products with a saturated steam cooker. The school lunch association of Mie Prefecture showed interest, and jointly engaged in the product development and provided the developed products in school meals.

O Uotake Kamaboko (Osaka Prefecture) developed a supply system for products using out-of-season daggertooth pike and fish paste products using minced fishery products of a non-standard size. Kindergartens and elementary schools that purchase products from Uotake Kamaboko have highly evaluated this effort as making effective use of domestic products.

O Nihon Enyo Makami Gyogyo Kyodo Kumiai (Nagasaki Prefecture) has developed processed products that can be eaten including the bones and skin, by applying heat and pressure. They are used in school meals in Nagasaki Prefecture because a large amount of calcium can be absorbed and they are easy to cook, only needing to be deep-fried for three to four minutes.

O KK Uehara (Nagasaki Prefecture) has developed and sold products that can be eaten to the bones, prompted by a request from the school lunch association to remove the bones.