Explore the Beauty of Miyagi in Japan: Sustainable Fishing through Regional Revitalization
CHEN,CHIA-WEN（China Productivity Center Agricultural Innovation Department II）
Located in northeastern Japan, Miyagi Prefecture is a major hub for seafood. Its terrains feature ria coast and borders Sanriku offshore, one of the world’s top three fishing grounds. As the meeting point of the warm Kuroshio Current and the cold Oyashio Current, this region serves as an exceptionally rich fishing environment and provides a diverse and abundant catch. The catch yield of bonito, tuna, marlin, and Pacific saury here is among the highest in Japan. Offshore aquaculture is also a dominant industry. The farming of silver salmon accounts for approximately 90% of Japan’s production. The output of oyster, sea squirt, kelp, and scallop farming is also the highest or the second highest in Japan.
Kesennuma and Ishinomaki are among the cities in Miyagi Prefecture deeply rooted in fishing culture. After the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, inflicted massive damage on the majority of local infrastructure and industries, the region has undergone continuous reconstruction for years and the seafood industry is considered the focus of revitalization efforts. Alongside the reconstruction of fishing ports, fish markets, and research institutions, promotional and advocacy efforts have brought together local governments, businesses, civil organizations, and fishers to drive the industry’s recovery.
Different regions hold seasonal seafood festivals and tourism events each year. As we traveled through these areas, we were constantly surrounded by marine-themed mascots and a wide variety of local products and deeply impressed with these representations. More importantly, we experienced the admirable craftsmanship culture and the industry resilience of Japan.
Promoting Fish Consumption Education from the Ground Up
During the visit, we had the opportunity to learn about “Association to Promote the Kesennuma Fish Products in School Lunches”, an initiative launched in 2012 by Usufuku Honten Co., Ltd. The association’s mission is to promote fish consumption education, by integrating fish into nutritious school lunches and experiential activities so that fish becomes the best teaching material in day-to-day life for children’s learning in a familiar environment.
Our exchange started with a lecture on harpoon fishing by Mr. Onodera, a retired fisherman who is involved in coastal fishing and kelp farming. His teaching was presented with a variety of teaching tools and hands-on gadgets, such as life-sized posters of marlin, several-meter-long harpoons, a marlin’s sharp snout, and footage of the fishing process. Seeing the long, pointed snout of a marlin in real life and witnessing attendees wearing jeans made from discarded marlin snouts was as an eye-opening experience.
The lecturer also allowed us to lift a fishing harpoon to feel its weight. As a harpooner must stand at the bow of a boat, holding the heavy harpoon and waiting for the target surfacing up and close, striking with precision by throwing the harpoon at the moment is indeed challenging. Harpoon fishing is a traditional fishing technique. Whilst this is operationally difficult and risky and the yield is relatively limited, it prevents overfishing. Few fishermen in eastern and southern Taiwan still use this method, but it is gradually fading into history.
When asked why he insists on the use of harpoon fishing, Mr. Onodera said, "A marlin in the ocean is a life. A harpooner is also a life. Harpoon fishing is a one-on-one battle between two living beings. Regardless of the outcome, this spirit is captivating in itself." His words left a lasting impression and instilled a deep sense of respect for the fishermen’s professionalism.
Mr. Watanabe, the fish consumption education instructor of the association, demonstrated the interactive teaching methods used in classrooms. Students use tablets to explore a custom-built fish consumption education website that illustrates every stage and sector activities of a fish’s journey from the ocean to the dinner table. This includes fishermen, auctioneers, processing plant workers, logistics personnel, nutritionists, and chefs. Children develop a greater appreciation for seafood given all the hard work involved and a deeper respect for every profession throughout the industry. Moreover, these students become ambassadors of fish consumption education and share their acquired knowledge with their families.
The teaching personnel placed two small glass jars—one containing fish oil and the other beef fat— into a prepared ice-water bath, as an experiment to illustrate the difference in how these two animal oils solidify under cold temperatures. This experiment uses simple items and is designed to allow young children to easily grasp the concept that consuming fish contributes to better health. This teaching example is straightforward and easy-to-understand.
Usufuku Honten Co., Ltd. as the first longline tuna company to receive the MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) sustainability certification is the main key driving force of the association. President Sotaro Usui of Usufuku Honten Co., Ltd. shared the company’s three-generation history and the journey of establishing the committee. Reflecting on the aftermath of the March 11 Earthquake, he realized that food is a fundamental human necessity, and seafood is a crucial resource for the Kesennuma region. With a vision for sustainable industry development, he began promoting local specialty seafood and started in his own company by transforming the traditional fishing industry.
The initiatives include the installation of communication networks on deep-sea fishing vessels for foreign crew members to connect with their families; collaboration with renowned perfumers to develop deodorizing fragrances for fishing vessels and personnel; and deployment of recreational rooms on ships for crew members.
In the meantime, interested local residents and businesses were mobilized for the establishment of the association and the organization of fish consumption educational activities. Fishermen were invited to schools to share with students the frontline experiences as seafood producers and to develop a diverse range of seafood dishes for school lunches.
Examples include developing dishes such as marlin hamburgers, offering guided tours of operational fishing vessels, inviting students to participate in ship launching ceremonies, and facilitating international exchanges through video conferencing with the schools where the children of the foreign crew members study, helping the students understand their fathers’ work abroad. The company president also shared with us the cards and drawings from the students. Some children were inspired by these experiences and aspiring to become fishermen. Other even shed tears of farewell as they watched the departure of deep-sea fishing vessels. All these responses symbolize the seeds of hope being planted for the future of the local fishing industry.
This exchange provided a better understanding of the local industry and presented a variety of curriculum designs for fish consumption education. It also strengthened the Taiwan-Japan connectivity and showcased how local organizations endeavor to promote local production for local consumption and contribute to the seafood culture and the revival of the fishing industry in Kesennuma.
Innovation and Transformation of the Fishing Industry Traditionally Known for 3K (Kitsui for Difficulty, Kitanai for Dirty and Kiken for Danger in Japanese)
Based on Ishinomaki City since inception in 2014, Fisherman Japan is another regional revitalization organization in Miyagi Prefecture. The organization originally stemmed from Yahoo Japan’s post-311 disaster recovery initiative in Ishinomaki and later evolved into Fisherman Japan, with a core mission of revitalizing the local fishing industry and the creation of the new 3K industry (Kakkoyoku for cool, Kasegete for profitable and Kakushinteki for innovative in Japanese). A suite of measures have embarked to reinvent and advocate the beauty of the fishing industry.
Deputy Director Matsumoto highlighted three major challenges surrounding the seafood industry in the Sanriku region:
- Declining fishing yields for the fish market
- Labor shortages due to population shrinkage
- Decreasing fish consumption
Before the earthquake, large-scale mechanical equipment was introduced and facilities were established in an attempt to address some of these issues. However, reduced fish catches and a smaller workforce resulted in lower-than-expected utilization rates of operating equipment and even financial losses and business closures. To avoid repeating the past failures, equipment investment alone is not a sustainable solution.
The seafood industry operates as an interconnected system—from the ocean to producers, equipment and technology providers, local stakeholders (including fisheries cooperatives, markets, and wholesalers) to end consumers. Ensuring that all parts of the industry can benefit is essential for achieving sustainable development.
Japan came up with the S&D&GX concept, with SX for development and sustainability transformation, DX for digital transformation and GX for green transformation. To navigate drastic environmental changes, fishing industry players must prioritize the 3Ps (profit, planet and people). Only by balancing between the global environment and humanity can the producers, the industry, and the ocean achieve sustainability. This encompasses the utilization of data, digital technologies, and eco-friendly green energy. Advantages in this era can only be established by embracing broad perspectives and an open mind and by changing the existing operations, organizational structures, workflows, and company cultures.
It is in this context that Fisherman Japan launched "Lighthouse Project" by integrating scientific data into the marine fishing industry and phasing out the traditional fishing trips in search of luck. MBA workshops were organized for the seafood industry to equip local fishers, processing facilities, and businesses with management skills. Different talents such as engineers, lawyers, and accountants were recruited from all over Japan to engage with the fishing industry as their short-term or long-term side jobs. They were invited to come and teach local producers, to fill in the management skill gap of fishermen or businesses. The compensation is sometimes not monetary. Rather, the high-quality seafood that producers take pride in is offered as the reward for skills sharing.
Initially, Fisherman Japan did not enjoy much visibility. However, a marketing campaign helped to bring its efforts into the public eye. The advertisement titled "Fisherman Call" featured early-morning wake-up calls from fishers from boats out for fishing trips. This promotional approach is highly special and truly unique to fishermen.
As the advertisement received multiple awards and gradually boosted publicity, Fisherman Japan commenced “Triton Project” to cultivate the next generation of fishers. This initiative focuses on collaborating with young fishers and seafood processing companies to develop new products and sales channels.
An online platform was set up to distribute information and to serve functions similar to a job site for the fishing industry by aggregating and publishing all the local vacancies. The recruitment site assists the matching of individuals interested in learning fishing skills or becoming fishers for employment in the region.
“Fisherman School” is regularly organized, offering activities such as set-net fishing experience for the general public. Students are matched with companies for internships. Although the internships are currently unpaid, hundreds of students from across Japan apply each year. Mr. Watanabe, who assisted the exchange activity on the day, is a case in point. He stayed and became an employee after completion of the student internship.
Fisherman Japan’s website design also reflects its “New 3K” vision. The webpages and photos present the fishing industry as cool and aspirational and attract clicks from viewers with an innovative look and feel. Creative and cultural merchandise such as trendy apparel and waterproof waders is marketed to capture the full attention of younger generations.
In addition, Fisherman Japan operates a seafood rice bowl restaurant, “Fisherman-Arbor”, inside Sendai Airport, a transportation hub in Miyagi Prefecture. Fresh and delicious food is served from the places of origin directly to the visitors of Miyagi Prefecture. Fisherman Japan sails away from the traditional concept, broadens the definition of fishing into a new profession with multiple skills and innovates the fishing industry in the Sanriku region.
Enhancement of Competitive Advantages Towards Sustainable Fishing
According to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, global fish consumption per capita has been consistently breaking records. In 2020, it reached 20.5 kg per person per year, and is expected to continue rising over the next decade. This highlights the crucial role of seafood in the global food supply and nutrition intake.
In face of challenges such as climate change, environmental pollution, and resource depletion, the global fishing industry is shifting towards resource sustainability and eco-friendliness in order to maintain its stability and continued competitiveness. In the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015, Goal 2 calls for the development of sustainable food production systems and the strengthening of climate adaptivity. Goal 14 focuses on conservation, sustainable utilization of the ocean ecosystem, as well as reduction of debris and nutrient pollution.
Various sustainable fisheries certification marks have been developed internationally. In addition to the emphasis on ecological protection, these certifications also include indicators related to the welfare of fishery workers and supervision of operational management, etc. To date, over 100 sustainable fisheries certification labels have been established worldwide. Among the widely known ones are Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP), and Global Good Agricultural Practices (Global G.A.P.). These initiatives advocate the enhancement of fishery productivity, sustainability, and responsible fisheries and aquaculture industries that meet socio-economic expectations.
Against the backdrop of globalization, trade liberalization and aquatic technology continue to advance and the international seafood market is expanding at a rapid pace. As a result, the traditional fishing industry is undergoing a necessary transformation, shifting from labor-intensive operations to technology-driven approaches and ultimately progressing toward smart fisheries.
Taiwan’s fishing industry primarily serves the domestic market, with aquaculture playing a crucial role in local seafood supply. However, the production cost has been rising due to an aging workforce, a shortage of young talent, and the challenges associated with climate and diseases. Meanwhile, the fierce competition from seafood imports and the COVID-19 disruptions to supplies have changed the production/distribution channels and the consumption patterns.
To address these challenges, aquaculture operators are enhancing aquaculture management and introducing smart technologies to improve risk control and adaptability. The industry is also beginning to promote fish consumption education so as to increase public knowledge and support for domestically produced aquaculture products. The goal is to foster a culture of fish consumption and strengthen the domestic market.
Japan’s fishing industry shares many similarities with Taiwan’s and has long implemented policies related to youth engagement in agriculture, sixth industrialization (by combining the secondary industry and the tertiary industry with the primary industry, i.e., 1+2+3), fish consumption education, and fishing village revitalization. These initiatives offer extensive insight, covering the entire supply chain from fishing and aquaculture seedling, aquatic product processing and manufacturing to marketing, distribution, and development of the culinary culture. By understanding the supply chain connectivity and development trends of the fishing industry in Japan and learning about the industry’s best practices, Taiwan aims to inspire innovative thinking in management among local fishers, enhance international collaboration and market development, and support fishers to incorporate new and innovative concepts into the industry. This will ultimately strengthen the competitiveness of Taiwan’s fishing industry and help nurture the next generation of skilled fishery professionals.