CATDOLL : CATDOLL: What are the factors that affect the development of Japan's fisheries?

Current status of fishery development in Japan

1. Development of Japan’s Fisheries

Japan is one of the countries with the most developed fisheries in the world and attaches great importance to fisheries. Influenced by the Kuroshio warm current, Japan's fishing grounds have become one of the three largest fishing grounds in the world, with abundant fish resources. Aquatic products occupy an important position in the diet of Japanese people. Fish is an indispensable food in the diet of all Japanese people, accounting for more than 40% of the average animal protein intake of Japanese people.

Since the 1960s, Japan's fishery production has increased significantly, especially the rapid growth of offshore fishery production, and offshore fishery has also increased. However, with the implementation of the 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone system and the oil crisis that broke out in 1973, offshore fishery suffered a heavy blow. From the 1970s to the 1980s, offshore fishery began to grow and gradually became the focus of Japan's fishery. In recent years, Japan has vigorously developed aquaculture, but fishery production is still showing a gradual downward trend. Japan's fishery production reached a peak of 12.82 million tons in 1984. Due to resource decline and the reduction and aging of employees, fishery production has been declining since 1989. By 2002, the total fishery production had dropped to 5.88 million tons, with a total output value of 187.53 billion yen; in 2004, the total production was 5.78 million tons, with a total output value of 160.36 billion yen. In 2005, the total fishery output dropped to 5.719 million tons, the lowest since 1999, and the fishery production value was 1600.7 billion yen, a decrease of 2.9 billion yen from the previous year.

In the 30 years from 1960 to 1990, Japan's imports of aquatic products increased by about 36 times. According to FAO statistics, in 2003, the top five countries in the world in terms of aquatic product import volume were Japan (3.21 million tons), China (2.32 million tons), the United States (2.24 million tons), Spain (1.61 million tons), and Denmark (1.6 million tons); the top five countries in terms of export volume were Norway (2.14 million tons), China (2.08 million tons), Peru (1.72 million tons), Thailand (1.4 million tons), and the United States (1.31 million tons) (Japan (360,000 tons, ranked 24th). In 2003, the top five countries in terms of global import volume were Japan (US$12.624 billion), the United States (US$11.758 billion), Spain (US$4.919 billion), France (US$3.803 billion), and Italy (US$3.571 billion). The top five countries in terms of export volume were China with US$5.362 billion, Thailand with US$3.920 billion, Norway with US$3.669 billion, the United States with US$3.458 billion, and Canada with US$3.318 billion (Japan with US$952 million, ranked 22nd).

2. Status of Japan’s fishery industry

1. Fishing and breeding

Japan usually divides fishery production into marine fishing (including distant-water fishing, near-shore fishing, and coastal fishing, which is actually roughly equivalent to marine fishing and distant-water fishing in my country's fishery classification), marine aquaculture, freshwater aquaculture, and freshwater fishing.

Marine fishing has always been the leading industry in Japan's fishery. Despite the continuous reduction in production, more than 80% of the production is still obtained from marine fishing. In order of production size, the main species of fish caught are tuna, bonito, salmon and trout, sardines, horse mackerel, mackerel, saury, cod, flatfish, squid, etc. Compared with 2004, Japan's mackerel production in 2005 increased significantly, but the production of sardines, scallops, salmon, etc. decreased; the production value of scallops, salmon, etc. increased, but the production value of bonito, saury and tuna decreased. The total production of marine fishing was 4.412 million tons, a decrease of 47,000 tons from the previous year; the total production value was 159.4 billion yen, a decrease of 0.6% from the previous year.

In recent years, the output of marine aquaculture in Japan has been maintained at more than 1.2 million tons. In 2005, the total output of marine aquaculture was 1.211 million tons, a decrease of 129,000 tons from the peak year of 1994, 1.34 million tons. In 2005, the total output value of marine aquaculture was 439.2 billion yen, an increase of 4.9 billion yen over the previous year. Among them, fish farming was 269,000 tons (an increase of 2.7% over the previous year) and 191.8 billion yen (a decrease of 2.4% over the previous year); shellfish farming was 422,000 tons (a decrease of 6.4% over the previous year) and 77.1 billion yen (an increase of 6.4% over the previous year); seaweed was 509,000 tons (an increase of 5.2% over the previous year) and 121.3 billion yen (an increase of 2.4% over the previous year). The main species of marine aquaculture are fish, red sea bream, scallops, oysters, kelp, wakame, laver, as well as flounder, river bream, horse mackerel, Japanese shrimp and mother-of-pearl.

In 2005, the total output of freshwater fishing and aquaculture in Japan was 96,000 tons, less than half of the peak output in 1979. Among them, the output of freshwater fishing was 54,000 tons, and the output of freshwater aquaculture was 42,000 tons, with a total output value of 102.1 billion yen, a decrease of 1.3 billion yen from the previous year. The main species of freshwater fishing are upstream salmon and trout, sweetfish, carp, river clams, eels, etc. The main species of freshwater aquaculture are trout, sweetfish, carp, eels, and crucian carp, turtles, etc. The output of a single species is usually less than 1,000 tons.

2. Aquatic product processing and consumption

The main processed aquatic products in Japan include salted products, dried products, fish and meat condiments, frozen foods, oils and fertilizers, frozen fresh products, canned products, etc. In 2005, the total amount of processed edible products was 2.095 million tons, a decrease of 39,000 tons from the previous year. The processing volumes of the main products were 209,000 tons of salted products, 334,000 tons of dried products, 655,000 tons of fish and meat condiments, 286,000 tons of frozen foods, 1.625 million tons of frozen fresh products, and 484,000 tons of other processed edible products. Compared with the previous year, in 2005, except for a slight increase in the processing volume of dried products, the processing volumes of other products such as frozen foods, salted products and condiments decreased to varying degrees.

Japan is a large consumer of aquatic products. In 2004, domestic aquatic product consumption was 10.48 million tons, a decrease of 5% over the previous year. Of this, edible aquatic product consumption accounted for 80%, equivalent to 62.7 kg per person per year. If inedible parts are removed, each person consumes about 34.5 kg per year. In 2004, Japan's self-sufficiency rate for edible aquatic products was 55%, lower than 57% in 2003. The main reason is that domestic fishery production decreased while imports increased. According to statistics, the self-sufficiency rate of seaweed was 65% in 2005.

3. Aquatic product circulation and market

There are 203 major fishing ports in Japan. In 2005, the total catch was about 2.887 million tons, roughly the same as the previous year; the total catch amount was 525.5 billion yen, about 4% less than the previous year. There are 6 fishing ports with catches of more than 100,000 tons, including Yaizu (229,000 tons), Choshi (215,000 tons), Ishinomaki (158,000 tons), Hachinohe (149,000 tons), Kushiro (119,000 tons), and Kesennuma (116,000 tons). Other ports with large catches include Matsuura, Sakai, Hasaki, and Makurazaki.

At present, there are about 900 production markets in Japan, and the circulation volume and amount are decreasing. In response to the situation that the transaction volume of small-scale markets is too small and cannot play the market function, Japan formulated and announced the "Guidelines for the Integration and Rationalization of Seafood Production Markets" at the end of March 2001. All prefectures, provinces, and counties began to integrate the market based on this. By the end of June 2005, 33 aquatic product production markets in 39 provinces, provinces, and counties had been reduced.

Ten metropolitan areas, including Sapporo, Sendai, Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Hiroshima and Fukuoka, all have central wholesale markets. Judging from the changes in average prices, transaction prices are generally on a downward trend. The average prices of fresh aquatic products, processed aquatic products and frozen products traded in 2004 were roughly the same as the previous year, at 770 yen/kg for fresh products, 730 yen/kg for processed aquatic products and 791 yen/kg for frozen products. Due to the decrease in the amount of saury and bonito, the circulation volume of fish and aquatic animals (excluding shellfish and seaweed) in the main production markets decreased by 3% compared with the previous year, and the average price was 182 yen/kg, a decrease of 5% compared with the previous year. Although the market transaction volume decreased, the amount of direct purchases by supermarkets and other units with large demand without going through the market is increasing.

4. Aquatic product trade

Most of the fish and shellfish imported by Japan are fresh products. In 2004, the total amount of aquatic products imported by Japan was 3.485 million tons and 163.71 billion yen, an increase of 160,000 tons and 67.9 billion yen respectively over the previous year. However, the import volume was 9% less than the highest in 2001, and the amount was 16% lower than the highest in 1997. Among them, the import value of shrimps with a value of more than 100 billion yen included shrimps with a value of 238 billion yen (about 15% of the total imports), tuna with a value of 233.7 billion yen (about 14%), and salmon and trout with a value of 103.6 billion yen (about 6%). Other large import values ​​included crabs with a value of 80.7 billion yen, eel products with a value of 65.7 billion yen, cod roe with a value of 59.8 billion yen, shrimp products with a value of 52.2 billion yen, and squid with a value of 43.7 billion yen.

In 2004, Japan exported 420,000 tons of aquatic products and 148.2 billion yen, an increase of 5,400 tons and 12.9 billion yen respectively over the previous year. The export volume exceeded 400,000 tons for the first time in 12 years. Among them, the export volume and export value of shellfish products are decreasing, but tuna, cod and other products have doubled in the past five years. The largest export volume is to China (except Hong Kong and Macao), and the main varieties are salmon and cod; the largest export value is to Hong Kong, mainly pearls, dried shellfish products, and dried sea cucumbers. The average unit price of exports is 350 yen/kg, down 4.3% from 366 yen in the previous year.

In 2004, the top five countries and regions in terms of the quantity and amount of aquatic products imported by Japan were Mainland China with 665,000 tons and 335.7 billion yen (excluding Hong Kong and Macao, mainly processed eels, processed crabs and frozen shrimps), the United States with 392,000 tons and 147.7 billion yen (mainly cod roe, frozen cod meat and salmon), Russia with 199,000 tons and 117 billion yen (mainly frozen crab, cod roe and frozen salmon), Thailand with 248,000 tons and 110.3 billion yen (mainly shrimp products, frozen squid, fresh and frozen shrimps), and Taiwan with 186,000 tons and 108.5 billion yen (mainly frozen tuna, live eels and processed eel products).

5. Resource protection and proliferation

Japan ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in 1996 and subsequently introduced the TAC system and export regulation system. In 2001, Japan enacted the Basic Fisheries Law, launched a resource recovery plan, and introduced the Total Effort Regulation (TAE) system.

In addition to setting limits on the allowable catch, fishing effort, number of fishing vessels and horsepower, restrictions on closed fishing areas and closed fishing periods, restrictions on fishing gear and methods, and limits on catchable size through laws and regulations and autonomous regulation by fishery associations and fishermen, Japan attaches great importance to the protection and proliferation of fishery resources, continuously increases its efforts to increase and release fishery resources, and invests huge sums of money in the construction of artificial fish reefs.

Japan has a relatively complete system for stocking and releasing fish. Taking Shizuoka Prefecture as an example, it has established a system of resource stocking promotion councils, which are composed of the County Warm Water Utilization Research Center (seedling production and stocking and release guidance), the County Fisheries Revitalization Fund (providing necessary funds, supervising release activities), and the County Fisheries Experiment Station (guiding release activities and testing release effects). It is divided into three regional councils in Izu, Haruna and Lake Hamana, and the fishery associations of various cities and towns are responsible for specific tasks such as release, statistics, and fund raising. Japan holds national and regional stocking and release meetings every year to exchange views on fishery resources, the implementation of stocking and release, the evaluation of release effects, and related research. Japan releases fish species with small migration and strong sessile nature every year. In recent years, the number of released seedlings has exceeded 5 billion, including salmon, red sea bream, black sea bream, flounder, turbot, etc., crustaceans such as Japanese shrimp, unicorn shrimp, three-spotted swimming crab, abalone, giant clams, scallops, etc., and sea urchins, etc. In 2004, the main species released were 1.85 billion whitefish, 19.8 million red sea bream, 3.281 million black sea bream, 3.08 million flounder, 24.613 million turbot, 134.645 million shrimp, 27.01 million crabs, 23.911 million abalone, 638,000 ark shells, 74.643 million sea urchins, etc., and the number of released species was slightly less than that of the previous year.

Japan is one of the countries that started to build artificial reefs earlier. Since 1955, it has been building various artificial reefs across the country. In 1975, the Coastal Fisheries Development Law was promulgated, requiring the vigorous development of three public projects, namely, reef construction, aquatic plant and animal reproduction, and coastal fishery preservation. The central government issues plans and provides financial subsidies every year, which are implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and various prefectures, provinces, and counties. After more than 30 years of construction, artificial reefs have been set up in more than one-tenth of the fishing grounds in Japan, with an average annual investment of nearly 3 billion yuan. Japan's artificial reefs are of various types and have great structural differences. Artificial reefs are set up according to the conditions of different sea areas, and the technology of placing super-large reefs in deep waters has been mastered. In recent years, Japan has also attached great importance to the protection and restoration of natural seabed algae fields. Government departments, fishery associations and fishermen have undertaken corresponding work, such as protection, investigation, analysis, and restoration experiments.

6. Fishery labor and income of individual operators

As of November 1, 2005, the number of people employed in the fishing industry in Japan was 222,510, a decrease of 8,490 people or 3.7% from the previous year. The decrease in fishery catch and the reduction in production scale are the reasons for the decrease in the number of people employed in the fishing industry. By gender, there were 186,350 males (accounting for 83.7%) and 36,160 females (accounting for 16.3%), which were respectively 3.7% and 3.8% less than the previous year. By age, the largest number of people were over 60 years old, accounting for 46.9%, 38.6% were aged 40-59, 11.8% were aged 25-39, and 2.7% were aged 15-24. The proportion of young people is getting smaller and smaller, while the rate of decrease is getting larger and larger.

In 2005, the average income of each household in Japan's marine fishery was 5.26 million yen (equivalent to RMB 342,000), a decrease of 0.6% over the previous year. Expenditure was 3.05 million yen, a decrease of 1.2% over the previous year. Personal income was 2.21 million yen, a decrease of 2.0%. In the detailed expenditure table, fuel expenses accounted for 18.1%, depreciation expenses 16.2%, and employee expenses accounted for 12.7%. The income of small-scale fixed-net fisheries was 5.94 million yen, the expenditure was 3.46 million yen, and personal income was 2.48 million yen. Among the expenditure, depreciation expenses accounted for 18.6%, employee expenses accounted for 12.5%, and various fees accounted for 11.5%. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan, the surge in oil prices has increased fuel expenses by 13.1% over the previous year. However, the main reason why the expenditure of private enterprises has not increased but decreased is that enterprises have reduced employee wages in order to save money.

3. Japan’s fishery management model and policy direction

The Japanese government departments responsible for fishery management include: the Fisheries Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Agricultural, Forestry and Fisheries Technical Council and the Fisheries Management Committee. The main responsibilities of the Fisheries Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries include fishery management improvement, financial taxation, fishery processing and circulation, fishery insurance and mutual aid, marine biological resource protection and management, fishery guidance and supervision, fishery-related international agreements and cooperation, fishery experimental research, fishery enhancement and release, fishery ground preservation, fishing port, fishing ground and coastal integration, fishery disaster recovery, etc.

The Technical Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is responsible for policy on aquatic experimental research.

The Fisheries Management Committee mainly manages the aquatic resources in the surrounding waters and manages fishery resources such as migratory fish that are not within the scope of a single city, province, prefecture, or county. It reviews resource recovery plans and determines appropriate resource management measures.

The Japan Fisheries Cooperative Association (hereinafter referred to as "Fisheries Cooperative") is an economic cooperation organization formed by a large number of small and medium-sized fishery producers and fishermen in Japan. It is also an institution that plays an intermediary role between the government and fishermen and undertakes the task of grassroots aquatic management. The functions of the Japan Fisheries Cooperative Association mainly include: fishery administration, fishery management and fishery research and development. Among them, fishery administration mainly includes the allocation of common fishing rights, regional fishing rights and fixed fishing rights, as well as anti-pollution and resource enhancement activities; fishery management includes obtaining and issuing loans, purchasing, marketing and guiding activities of bulk items such as fuel, nets and aquaculture equipment, ice making and freezing and refrigeration business, and facility utilization services; fishery research and development mainly refers to education and leadership training activities, including education, research, sponsorship and participation in various learning meetings.

In light of the international and domestic fishery situation and the actual fishery development situation it faces, the Japanese government intends to adjust relevant policies and measures with a focus on the following aspects: strengthening the recovery and management of fishery resources, including on the high seas; creating fishery management entities with international competitiveness; promoting the development of energy-saving fishery production; promoting the rationalization of the circulation and processing of aquatic products, and establishing an information disclosure system that is trusted by consumers; and formulating and implementing policies to revitalize fishing villages and ensure a sound ecosystem.

The current focus of Japan's fishery policy is to promote fishery reform on the premise of resource management and environmental protection; to cultivate fishery management and technical talents and build internationally competitive fishery management entities; to promote the rational development of circulation and sales; and to make full use of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiation platforms to promote the development of aquatic product trade.

The mechanization of all Japanese industries is progressing. Fisheries are the same as mechanization. Shipbuilding technology is high-performance and high-performance. Each fishing boat is equipped with fish detection equipment, coastal and offshore fishing equipment, and offshore fishing equipment.

The fishermen and crew members were lame and cyanotic. The amount of fish caught is too much.

The attention paid to marine resources by countries around the world has greatly reduced the fishing range of Japan. Coastal reclamation and land reclamation have destroyed the places where fish grow and reproduce. The discharge of industrial wastewater and sewage has polluted the water quality of the coast, thus affecting the development of Japan's fishery.

Japan's fishing conditions are very good, but the market is limited.

A coastal country with rich marine resources.