That is the only thing that will restore the Ariake Sea to the bountiful place it was before. The Isahaya project, mired in controversy since its initial conception nearly 50 years ago, set off a fresh furore this year when the production of seaweed slumped drastically, sending prices soaring at least 60 percent over a year earlier. The greenish-black nori seaweed is a staple Japanese foods and wraps specialties from rice balls to sushi. It was so famous in 701 that it was designated as a tribute item to the emperor. Seaweed growers say one reason for the loss is a sharp increase in plankton, which consumes the seaweed's nutrients, since the gates came down.
Environmentalists say the gates have led to pollution in the outside bay, causing killer red tides.
But while the seaweed failure captured widespread attention, the sun-weathered Hashimoto said the total impact of the project is much wider. Not only has his cooperative lost much of the crab harvest on which it relied, a wide range of fish and shellfish have been hit. There was an area just outside the gates that used to be one of the richest fishing grounds around. Now, even the shellfish we raise are being hurt. All we pull up are dead, empty shells.