- 14 Mar 2002
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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.
Planned umigyo projects:
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.
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)