Tourism Hurting fishing communities: reeling in tourists for extra income

[thomas]

Fishing communities across Japan are shifting their focus to tourism to supplement their incomes. Some fishermen now offer sightseeing cruises on their boats during off-hours, while others showcase attractions on land to draw in visitors. These efforts are being encouraged by the government under the umbrella of "umigyo" (海業). This term broadly refers to new industries that utilise marine resources beyond traditional fishing.

Inatori Port in Higashi-Izu, Shizuoka Prefecture (via Asahi)

Japan's total seafood production dropped below 4 million metric tons in 2022, a steep decline from the peak harvests of the 1980s, when catches were more than three times higher. The average annual income for private fishing vessels has stagnated between 2 million and 3 million yen (~$14,000 to $21,000). In addition to all that, the country's fishing population continues to decline and age.

Inatori Port in Higashi-Izu, Shizuoka Prefecture, renowned for its catches of "kinmedai," is one of the many areas around Japan experiencing dwindling catches. Kinmedai are usually caught in the early morning hours. Kinmedai (金目鯛)—literally "golden eye sea bream"—is the Japanese name for the splendid alfonsino (Beryx splendens), a deep-sea fish prized in Japanese cuisine. Despite its name, it is not a true sea bream (鯛 tai) but is included among tai-labelled fish in Japan due to its premium status and desirable flavour. But on one afternoon in early May, the Inari Maru fishing boat with a gross tonnage of 12 tons left Inatori Port. [...] The Inari Maru has so far given rides to more than 1,000 tourists. Earnings from the cruises now match about one-third of the revenue gained from fishing.

Planned umigyo projects:

• Tours to an inland plant for sea urchin aquaculture and hands-on experiences in sea urchin processing (Kamoenai Fishing Port in Kamoenai, Hokkaido )
• A glamping complex that draws on the availability of seafood and scenery (Himi Fishing Port in Himi, Toyama Prefecture)
• Hands-on experiences in beach seine fishery for students on school excursions (Tomiura Fishing Port in Minami-Boso, Chiba Prefecture)
• Tours to a market, mock bidding experiences, and a salon for talking to fishermen (Ohama Fishing Port in Toba, Mie Prefecture )
• Hands-on experiences in maintaining forests with fishermen (Miura Bay fishing port in Tsushima, Nagasaki Prefecture)

Hurting fishing communities try to lure tourists for extra income | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

 

[Ukigumo]

It's a great idea and might ease the pressure of the only remaining, fully exploitative form of food production, thus allowing some recovery. Landlubbers have little idea of the incredible and indeed awesome, beauty the oceans have to offer, so this type of enterprise might educate and inform.

 

[johnnyG]

• A glamping complex that draws on the availability of seafood and scenery (Himi Fishing Port in Himi, Toyama Prefecture)

I might have to check that out.

 

[Grandpa Frank]

Might be worth investing in the company that produces seasick pills , LOL.

 

[Ukigumo]

Might be worth investing in the company that produces seasick pills , LOL.View attachment 129016

I once went on an 8 hour whale-watching trip from beautiful Tobermory in Scotland. I was nauseated for most of the trip and only saw a few seals We did see a rare sea eagle and a curious, slightly sub-ocean rock outcrop that caused waves to break way out in the ocean and there were lots of seabirds and a few seals hanging around it, but being nauseated is so distracting and debilitating (as NASA worried about in their early days) it was not worth the suffering.

 

[Ukigumo]

Most astronomical/nature spectacles are underwhelming and I blame David Attenborough and Brian Cox. They produce incredible programmes with scenery of outstanding glory that when you see the real thing they're thoroughly disappointing. Partial eclipses, strawberry/blue mega moons, meteor showers, the northern lights? Rubbish! I went to the arctic circle during the solar maximum of 2011 with some friends who brought along Joanna Lumbley's DVD about the northern lights to whet our appetites which it did. The real thing was utterly underwhelming and at -30 Celsius temperatures (which was fascinating).

Just stay at home, reduce your carbon footprint and watch TV

 

[mdchachi]

Most astronomical/nature spectacles are underwhelming and I blame David Attenborough and Brian Cox. They produce incredible programmes with scenery of outstanding glory that when you see the real thing they're thoroughly disappointing. Partial eclipses, strawberry/blue mega moons, meteor showers, the northern lights? Rubbish! I went to the arctic circle during the solar maximum of 2011 with some friends who brought along Joanna Lumbley's DVD about the northern lights to whet our appetites which it did. The real thing was utterly underwhelming and at -30 Celsius temperatures (which was fascinating).

Just stay at home, reduce your carbon footprint and watch TV

I feel the same way. The closest approach of x, y and z planets in 500 years! etc. Blue moon. Red harvest moon. Very underwhelming.
EXCEPT for total solar eclipses. A TV program cannot capture the feeling of actually being in one. I would seriously urge everybody to make an effort to see a total solar eclipse (from within the path of totality) if at all possible. I saw the 2017 in the U.S. and immediately made plans to see the 2024 eclipse 7 years later which was also fantastic. Now seriously considering trips to Egypt and Australia. See here for upcoming total solar eclipses. Shall we plan for a JREF Eclipse Watching party September 2, 2035?

 

[Ukigumo]

I'd love to see a total eclipse of the sun…but only if it came to me and I didn't have to get up from my armchair in front of the TV to see it.

 

[mdchachi]

I'd love to see a total eclipse of the sun…but only if it came to me and I didn't have to get up from my armchair in front of the TV to see it.

Closest for you in the next 15 years is Spain next year. That one is a little risky though because it's very low on the horizon. I'm afraid you'll have to wait until 2090 for a total eclipse to hit the UK.

 

[Ukigumo]

Closest for you in the next 15 years is Spain next year. That one is a little risky though because it's very low on the horizon.

Spain—-> Torquay in England. That doesn't fulfill my armchair criteria!