## Section 3 : Efforts within the fishery sector to respond to diverse consumer demands

- Japanese consumers are becoming less familiar with fish, with the eating of fish and fishery products decreasing among younger generations and the “age-related effect” (whereby fish eating increases with advancing age) no longer seen among older generations.

- In order to put a halt to the declining trend of fish consumption among Japanese people, the following challenges must be addressed:

(i) increasing consumption by children, which serves as the starting point for eating of fish and fishery products; and (ii) taking measures to upturn consumption by current middle-aged and older age groups, which no longer indicates the “age-related effect.”

- It is important to implement effective measures that specifically target each age group.

- The following two approaches are essential: (i) fish-rich diet promotion activities and dietary education activities; and (ii) response to recent consumer needs such as “easy to use.” Shown below are examples of efforts made by various organizations within the fishery sector using these two approaches.

## (1) Examples of fish-rich diet promotion activities and dietary education activities

(i) Effort to suggest the good way of eating and cooking fish

- Cooking school offering popular courses of special-occasion dishes (Hyogo Prefectural Federation of Fisheries Co-operative Associations "SEAT CLUB")

At “SEAT CLUB,” a fish fun club in Hyogo Prefecture, fish cooking classes for cooking mainly special-occasion dishes of Italian, Korean and other cuisines have gained a great deal of popularity, and are enjoying repeat participants.

(ii) Activity to convey the benefits and tastiness of fish to children

- Providing guest lessons on “Learning and eating whole fish with bones” (Fishery Product Market Improvement Association, Osaka Meister Association)

- Providing guest lessons on EPA and DHA contained in fish (Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd., Minochu KK)

The Osakana Meister Association provides the guest lesson “Fish has bones” at elementary and junior high schools in Tokyo, teaching students about fish and how to eat fish neatly while actually eating fish with bones.

## (iii) Providing children with opportunities to eat fish through school meals

- Providing fish and fishery products to school meal suppliers to identify their needs and consider making it into a business (Ishikawa Prefecture, JF Ishikawa)

- Development and popularization of deep-fried products for school meals (Hokkaido Trawl Fisheries Cooperative Federation)

In 2011, JF Ishikawa (Ishikawa Prefecture) launched a model business to provide fish and fishery products that have been produced in Ishikawa Prefecture for school meals in elementary and junior high schools.

## (2) Examples of efforts to produce and distribute products that meet consumer needs

(i) Providing products that meet the needs of consumers and users

- Enhancing the competitiveness of the producers by providing a line-up of high-quality products (Azuma-Cho Fishery Cooperative, Kagoshima Prefecture)

- Providing the season’s taste and freshness to consumers with the latest freezing technology (Furusato Ama Co., Ltd., Shimane Prefecture)

- Changing to a lower-temperature market in order to respond to consumers' orientation toward safety and reliability (Nagoya Central Wholesale Market, Aichi Prefecture)

The Nagoya Central Wholesale Market implemented a redevelopment project for lowering the temperature of the selling space of the wholesale market in order to respond to the consumer needs for “food safety and reliability.”