## Chapter II : Toward recovery from damages caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake

## Section 1 : Coping with damage caused by the earthquake and tsunami

## (1) Damage incurred by the fishing industry

- The tsunami that followed the Great East Japan Earthquake caused massive damage to the fishing industry in not only the seven prefectures facing the Pacific Ocean from Hokkaido to Chiba, but nationwide.

- The earthquake caused land subsidence in many locations along the Pacific coast from the Tohoku region to the northern Kanto region. As a result, fishing ports, markets, fishery processing plants, etc. suffered inundation and flood.

## Fishery-related damage caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

#### Total damage: 1.26 trillion yen (seven affected prefectures: 1.25 trillion yen)

Major types of damaged property	Nationwide	Seven affected prefectures
Extent of damage	Amount of damage (billion yen)	Extent of damage	Amount of damage (billion yen)
Fishing vessels	28,612 vessels	182.2	28,479 vessels	181.2
Fishing port facilities	319 ports	823.0	319 ports	823.0
Aquaculture facilities and products (Aquaculture facilities) (Aquaculture products)	133.5 (73.8) (59.7)	125.4 (71.9) (53.4)
Communal facilities	1,725 facilities	124.9	1,714 facilities	124.7

## Notes:

1. Damage was compiled from prefectural reports and is current as of April 18, 2012.

2. The seven affected prefectures are Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, and Chiba.

3. In addition to the damage listed here, there was approximately 160 billion yen in damage to fishery-processing facilities and ice-making/refrigeration facilities owned by private companies (source: hearings with fishery processors' associations).

## (2) Recovery and reconstruction efforts in the fishing industry

- Based on the recommendations by the Reconstruction Design Council in Response to the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Fisheries Agency formulated the Fisheries Recovery Master Plan (guidelines on concrete measures for the recovery of fisheries, to be implemented by the national and local governments) in June 2011.

- In response to the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Cabinet’s Reconstruction Headquarters compiled the Basic Disaster Recovery Policy for the Great East Japan Earthquake (hereinafter referred to as the "Basic Policy") in July 2011. Based on the Basic Policy, the Fisheries Agency formulated a work schedule for recovery and reconstruction of fishing ports, fishing vessels, aquaculture facilities, fishery processing and distribution facilities, fishing grounds, etc.

- Specifically, the Fisheries Agency has taken measures by using funds of more than a total of 800 billion yen from the FY 2011 first, second, and third supplementary budgets and the FY2012 initial budget (earmarked for recovery and reconstruction measures). It will also implement various measures for integrated reconstruction of fishery, aquaculture, and fishery-processing industries under the FY2013 budget.

## Outline of the Fisheries Recovery Master Plan

## Comprehensive and integrated reconstruction of various sectors constituting the fishing industry

## Response to the nuclear power plant accident

- Strengthen national government's efforts for tackling the accident, including promoting inspections for radioactive materials contained in fish products

- Disseminate food safety information overseas

### 8. Fishing communities

- Promote disaster-resistant fishing communities while respecting the wishes of local residents

- Secure optimum disaster-prevention capabilities according to the circumstances of fishing communities

- Promote implementation of more ecological operations and the creation of a sixth industry

### 7. Fishery cooperatives

- Restructure organizations of fishery cooperatives that support local fisheries

- Ensure the soundness of JF marine banks through capital injections

### 1. Fishing ports

- Secure the functions necessary for the whole region at an early stage, while sharing functions among fishing ports

(1) Fishing ports serving as national production/distribution bases for fish products

(2) Fishing ports serving as production/distribution bases for local fishing industry

(3) Other fishing ports

Promote reconstruction of Japan's fisheries as a whole by taking care of various sectors constituting the fishing industry and considering the local wishes

### 6. Fishery business management

- Secure employment opportunities for affected fishers through removal of debris, etc.

- Promote coordination between local fishers and private companies

### 2. Fishing grounds and resources

- Support removal of debris from fishing grounds in which early resumption of fishing activities should be prioritized

- Continuous research on the fishing ground environment

### 3. Fishing vessels and fisheries management

- Promote modernization and rationalization of fishing vessels and fleets

- Introduce fishing vessels for joint use, and promote joint and collaborative operations

- Ensure supply of fish products through measures to respond to fuel price hikes, etc.

### 4. Aquaculture and stock enhancement

- Promote joint or collaborative operations and incorporation of organization in order to foster highly productive aquaculture operators

- Reconstruct systems for producing seeds and releasing juveniles of salmon and trout, etc.

### 5. Fishery processing and distribution

- Promote integration of facilities or formation of facility complexes according to local wishes

- Support creation of a sixth industry and the improvement of quality and hygiene control

- Restructure landing area markets in a manner consistent with the reconstruction of fishing ports