Aomori Prefecture boasts four fishing grounds: the Sea of Japan, the Pacific Ocean, the Tsugaru Strait, and Mutsu Bay. In Aomori City, located at its center, Takashi Shioya, the fifth-generation owner of the fresh fish wholesale and retail shop “Shioya Fish Shop,” and his son Naoki use advanced techniques like nerve-pinching to deliver fish tailored to the specific requests of each chef, both within and outside the prefecture.Underlying their work is a strong desire to halt the decline of the fishing industry and repay the fishermen for their contributions.

Delivering Aomori’s prized fish at the highest quality

Surrounded by sea on three sides, Aomori Prefecture is a treasure trove of seafood, boasting four distinct fishing grounds: the Sea of Japan coast, the Tsugaru Strait, the Pacific coast, and the inland Mutsu Bay. Off the Sea of Japan coast, the Tsushima Warm Current flows northward; part of it enters the Tsugaru Strait, becoming the Tsugaru Warm Current, and then flows out toward the Pacific.The Tsugaru Warm Current collides with the Oyashio Current from the north and the Kuroshio Current from the south off the coast of Hachinohe. Diverse fishing methods are employed across Aomori’s various fishing grounds, where fishermen, facing the sea, use techniques passed down through generations to land high-quality seafood.

It is Aomori City’s fish wholesaler and retailer, Shioya Fish Shop, that transforms these bountiful gifts from Aomori’s sea into the highest quality products for chefs and consumers, using extensive knowledge, advanced techniques, and above all, a passionate dedication.Takashi Shiotani, the fifth-generation owner running the shop, also serves as the representative of the “Hama no Shigoto-nin: Northern Japan Nerve-Stopping Association.” This association, founded by Takashi, is an organization formed by fisheries professionals engaged in nerve-stopping techniques across Aomori, Hokkaido, Iwate, Miyagi, and other prefectures. Nerve-stopping is a technique that delays rigor mortis in fish after death to preserve freshness. This allows high-freshness fish to be delivered even to distant locations.

Transforming frustration into strength: The journey to nerve-pinning

Takashi’s motivation to pursue nerve-pinning began when he heard people in western Japan, far from Aomori, say, “Fish from Aomori are poor in freshness and not tasty.”Shioya Fish Shop, started in 1933 (Showa 8) by four fishmongers, primarily served local restaurants and hotels when Takashi joined. Wanting “people outside the prefecture to taste delicious Aomori fish,” Takashi challenged nationwide distribution in his mid-40s. However, long-distance transport took time, leading him to hear those words again.

“Is there no way to deliver Aomori fish nationwide while keeping it fresh?” Fueled by frustration, he studied and researched relentlessly, eventually arriving at nerve-pinching. Furthermore, alongside his son Naoki, he visited fishermen in coastal villages like Sai Village and Fukaura Town within the prefecture, dedicating effort to sharing knowledge and techniques directly at the fishing sites.Since the condition of the fish at the moment of killing directly impacts its flavor, it became crucial for fishermen to catch fish in optimal condition and perform proper processing. To unite stakeholders in pursuing excellence, they established the “Hama no Shigoto-nin: Northern Japan Nerve-Striking Association” to create opportunities for information exchange and skill improvement. At its founding, nerve-striking professionals from places like Ehime and Kanagawa came to provide lectures.Many fishermen, moved by the passion of the Shioya father and son, have united their efforts with them.

Crafting Custom-Made Fish as One Team

Utilizing techniques evolved into a unique style, the fish crafted by Aomori fishermen and Shioya Fish Shop as one team now attracts attention from renowned chefs nationwide.Because the fish delivered meet or exceed expectations. When an order comes in, Shiotani Fish Shop explains to trusted fishermen: “We want fish like this.” The fishermen then determine the best approach for each request—whether to kill the fish onboard, send them live, or prepare the fish tanks optimally.The fish delivered this way undergoes meticulous management at Shioya Fish Shop. They consider everything down to what the fish ate, selecting the appropriate processing method, such as nerve-pinning. This collaboration between two professional teams enables Shioya Fish Shop to create what they value most: “custom-made fish tailored to each individual customer.”

“We want customers to feel satisfaction beyond the price, just like wearing a perfectly tailored suit,” says Takashi. “Each chef prioritizes different elements—whether texture or aroma. We deeply understand each fish’s individuality, calculating even the optimal cooking timing to meet their requests. Creating fish that tastes absolutely delicious the moment it hits the palate—that’s what making custom-made fish means. Nerve-pinching is just one of the methods to achieve that.”

Shioya’s Nerve-Cutting: Adapting the Process Based on Species, Condition, and Requests

Nerve-pinning involves destroying the spinal cord. Typically, it combines two processes: destroying the brain (known as brain destruction) and bleeding out the fish. Takashi excels by determining whether to prioritize brain destruction or bleeding based on the type and condition of the delivered fish and the customer’s request, thereby adjusting the flavor and freshness. “With brain destruction priority, we destroy the brain and perform nerve-pinning before bleeding, leaving some blood in the fish.”Leaving some blood actually enhances the aroma and umami. So for customers who plan to use the fish immediately upon delivery, we prioritize brain destruction. On the other hand, bloodletting-priority is a technique focused specifically on draining blood. Since residual blood accelerates deterioration of the flesh, we use this method for customers who won’t cook it right away, like those who want to age it,” explains Naoki. He demonstrates brain destruction, a craftsmanship skill passed down directly from Takashi.

Nerve pinning involves severing the spinal cord nerves with a wire. Since nerve locations vary by fish species, it relies on experience and intuition—a true artisan skill. “The wire is coiled, so it wraps around the nerves,” Naoki explains. Removing the nerves causes the color to drain instantly in fresh fish. This also serves as an indicator of the fish’s quality.

While bleeding methods vary, Mr. Shiotani’s approach relies solely on the fish’s own heartbeat. Here too, the fish’s vitality is crucial. With a lively fish, thorough internal chilling allows nearly all blood to drain within about 10 minutes, resulting in a translucent finish.

Regardless of the processing method, the fish must be in excellent condition as a prerequisite. “We get to work with fish that fishermen meticulously manage, allowing us to pursue even higher standards. Our work exists because of the fishermen,” both Takashi and Naoki express their gratitude.

Raising fish prices to halt the decline of fisheries and preserve culinary culture

“We want to produce fish that can compete nationwide. Fish worthy of recognition by chefs featured in the Michelin Guide.” While Takashi initially held such dreams, his desire to “repay the fishermen” gradually grew stronger.”I learned so much from the fishermen, and the work I do now is only possible because of the fishermen who walk alongside me. It’s my turn to repay the debt,” says Takashi. He feels the dwindling fish stocks firsthand and shares a sense of crisis.

“When I go to the beach, I often hear sad stories about sons wanting to take over the family business, but their parents can’t afford to feed them if there’s no catch, so they have to give up. I’ll say it again: our livelihood depends entirely on the local fishermen.We’re sustained by them. Plus, the local fish-eating culture could vanish. So what can we do? We have to raise fish prices. We especially need to lift the rock-bottom prices,” Takashi believes. “To achieve that, I want to spread the knowledge and techniques I’ve gained throughout the entire prefecture, raising the value of fish county-wide.”

If fishermen can continue their work under good conditions for generations, Naoki’s generation will also be able to carry on this profession. Furthermore, they can preserve the food culture passed down from their predecessors. This is the future Takashi envisions. “Ultimately, it’s about people enjoying delicious Aomori fish. I want to keep delivering fish that people will crave again and again to as many people as possible.”

The post Custom-made fish tailored to your preferences. Shioya Fish Shop: Looking to the future, striving alongside fishermen / Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Koishihama Scallops. What a wonderful name! Among the scallops produced along the coast of Iwate Prefecture, the “Koishihama scallops” from the fishing port of Koishihama, Ayari, Sanriku-cho, Ofunato City, are renowned as a brand of scallops. Jun Sasaki, the producer and president of the Iwate Prefecture Fishermen’s Association, has overcome the disaster and continues to produce high quality scallops.

What is Koishihama, Ofunato City, where Koishihama Scallops are produced?

The area off the coast of Sanriku is known as one of the best fishing grounds in the world, where the Oyashio tide from the north meets the Kuroshio tide from the south. Of the three prefectures of Sanriku (Aomori, Iwate, and Miyagi), the coast of Iwate Prefecture is characterized by a series of bays and a saw-toothed rias coastline.

Ofunato City, located in the southern part of the coast of Iwate Prefecture, has a number of bays, including Yoshihama Bay, Okirai Bay, Ayari Bay, and Ofunato Bay, where various types of fishing have been practiced since ancient times. In the bays where the waves are calmer, wakame seaweed, scallops, and ascidians are cultivated actively.

Koishihama in Ayazato, Sanriku-cho, Ofunato City, has been particularly active in scallop cultivation. Jun Sasaki, a fisherman from Koishihama and president of the Iwate Prefecture Fishermen’s Association, has been farming scallops here since his father’s generation.

What are “Koishihama Scallops”?

Iwate scallops have long had a good reputation in the central market, and around 1985, they once commanded the highest wholesale price in Japan at the Tsukiji market.

In 2008, Mr. Sasaki founded the Koishihama Youth Club. Until then, Koishihama fishermen had been shipping scallops to the market, but that did not show the name of the beach. So, through the Ayasato Fisheries Cooperative Association, they developed a sales channel for the scallops they grew so that they could ship them directly to ordinary consumers. The scallops were branded as “Koishihama scallops. The name “Koishihama Scallops” is a play on the Japanese pronunciation of “Koishihama. It has a nice sound to it.

The Sanriku Railway runs near the fishing port, and in 2009 the station name was changed to “Koishihama. The station has become a power spot for romance, and the station waiting room is decorated with ema (votive picture tablet) in which wishes are written on scallop shells.

High-quality plankton nurtures scallops.

Looking out over the landscape of Koshiki Bay, one can see that there are many broadleaf trees. In autumn, broadleaf trees fall off their leaves and turn to leaf litter. The seawater containing nutrients from this leaf litter provides nourishment for marine life. On the other hand, off the coast of Sanriku, where the Oyashio and Kuroshio currents collide, phytoplankton is born, and zooplankton that feed on the phytoplankton gather there.

Ofunato’s inner bay, which contains plankton from the sea and nutrients from the mountains, is a very good environment for scallops. In Koishihama, only scallops that meet certain standards among those raised with care are sold as “Koishihama scallops.

Ear-suspension type of aquaculture born in Ofunato

Scallop cultivation begins with the collection of scallop larvae (rahbas) that come in from the northern ocean on the Oyashio tide from April to June. rahbas are collected in May, and by September they are about 1 cm in size. 20 tiers of cages are made, each containing 50 scallop larvae. As the scallops grow, the number of scallops in the cage becomes denser, so the number is reduced to 25 in December, then 10 in February, and so on, until the scallops are 8 cm in diameter, which takes about one year.

Once the scallops have grown to 8 cm in diameter, holes are made in the shells and the scallops are hung from ropes for aquaculture. This method of cultivation is called the “ear-hanging” method. This method of cultivation is currently practiced from Aomori to Miyagi, but was actually invented in Ofunato.

The “ear-suspension” method was established around 1960. It was devised to efficiently raise scallops in Ofunato, where the water is deep and the bays are intricate, and has been used to this day. Ofunato does not have shallow sandy beaches like those in Hokkaido, so it is not possible to harvest a large number of scallops using the “ground sowing” method of cultivation, which grows scallops on the sea bottom. Therefore, the “ground sowing” method of cultivation, in which scallops are hung from ropes suspended in the water, was devised in an attempt to cultivate as many scallops as possible by taking advantage of the depth of the sea. Because the scallops do not stick to the seafloor, sand does not get inside the shells.

Ofunato’s bay is about 40 meters deep, and scallop cultivation has flourished because of this topography.

Sparing no pains to produce high-quality scallops

Scallops are hung from ropes and grow to a large size in the bay over a period of about one year. Counting from the larvae, the scallops are shipped after about two years. Koishihama scallops compete on the quality of each scallop, as the fishing grounds are limited.

In order to grow high-quality scallops, Mr. Sasaki keeps a gap between shells and cleans the shells at least twice a year. Seaweed and barnacles adhere to the shells. If these are not removed regularly, the seaweed and barnacles will take away the nutrients that the scallops feed on. Not only that, but the rope will become heavier due to the attached materials, causing it to fall.

Even so, the larger the scallops grow, the lower the ropes become. It is the fisherman’s job to adjust the height of the rope. Sasaki says, “The scallops are held together by ropes, so we raise and lower the height of the ropes all year round to keep them suspended at a depth where there is plenty of food.” He raises and lowers the ropes based on his years of experience in checking whether the sun’s rays are reaching the area and whether the tide is running fast enough. Mr. Sasaki is particular about the scallops he grows, cleaning the shells and adjusting the ropes.

Overcoming the Earthquake

Koishihama scallops, sold directly by the Ayasato Fisheries Cooperative, have been successfully branded. The thick scallops, sweet and delicious even when eaten as is, gained a reputation, and the number of orders increased. However, in March 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake struck. The Great East Japan Earthquake struck. Koishihama was also hit by the tsunami.

I was at sea when the Great East Japan Earthquake hit. When I returned to the beach, I found that the situation was very serious,” said Sasaki. After the earthquake, it was not possible to start fishing immediately. The fishing port had subsided and the cargo handling station had been washed away.

Immediately after the disaster, people he met through Koishihama Scallops offered their support. Some people even rushed to the area to offer their support. In the midst of all this, an overseas volunteer group appeared to offer support for the damaged fishing port, and Mr. Sasaki negotiated with them about the current status of the fishing port and what was needed for its recovery. His natural mobility and sociable personality, which helped him brand the “Koishihama scallops,” made it possible for him to engage in dialogue with foreign dignitaries without fear, which paid off.

Thanks to support from overseas, in 2014, the subsided fishing port was improved and a cargo handling station was completed in Koishihama. The speed of reconstruction was one of the fastest on the coast. Along with the reconstruction of the fishing port and cargo handling station, the scallops that had been cultivated were ready for shipment. In 2014, scallop shells were cleaned and sorted at the cargo handling station, and scallops of good quality were ready for shipment.

He was told by a support group that if they had not known about Koishihama Scallops, they might not have come here. Mr. Sasaki is grateful for the support and human connections he has received, saying, “When we first started (Koishihama Scallops), some people said, ‘What are you trying to do?

Going to the Sea with His Wife Isabelle

Mr. Sasaki met his wife, Isabelle, after the disaster. Originally from inland France, Isabelle had practiced karate since childhood and grew up interested in Japanese culture. After graduating from a Japanese university and finding a job, Isabelle visited Ofunato many times as a volunteer after the earthquake. Although Isabelle was working in Tokyo at the time, Ofunato became like a second home to her.

In 2020, she married Mr. Sasaki. She now works as a tourist guide and interpreter, and also rows out to sea with Mr. Sasaki to work as a fisherman.

In France, I was not much of a seafood eater, but I did like scallops. But when I ate Koishihama scallops, I was surprised (laughs). I thought,” he laughs cheerfully.

The Sea Connects Ofunato and Europe

In France, scallops are called “Coquilles Saint-Jacques. These are called “European scallops,” and technically speaking, they are a different species from Japanese scallops. However, off the coast of Sanriku in Japan, far away from France, coquille saint-Jacques can sometimes be found in the nursery. These are the shells depicted in Botticelli’s painting “The Birth of Venus,” which have a slightly fluffier shell than Japanese scallops.

In other words, the oceans are connected. In this light, the story of the “Koishihama Scallop” is a romantic tale of a man of the sea.

Delivering Quality Koishihama Scallops in the Future

Global warming is having a tremendous impact on the oceans. The place where the Oyashio (cold current) and the Kuroshio (warm current) collide is moving northward. The warm currents are so strong that the fishing grounds for lobsters, which should normally be caught off the coast of Ibaraki, are also moving northward.

Scallops prefer a cold environment. Scallops hibernate when the water temperature drops below 5°C. After hibernation, they feed on nutrients when the water temperature rises and grow larger. In recent years, due to global warming, water temperatures no longer fall below 5°C. Because the sea water temperature does not drop in winter, scallops lose the opportunity to hibernate. It is as if the next summer will arrive without the scallops having recovered from their summer fatigue. Some of them die without growing large.

The fisherman’s job is a natural one. They do not know what will happen the next year due to changes in the environment. Even so, Mr. Sasaki says, “We will never give up on scallops. He is determined to maintain the quality of Koishihama scallops. Even if the sea changes, we will live by the sea with the pride of being fishermen. As Mr. Sasaki gazes out to sea with his arms folded, I felt the determination of a man with a mission on his shoulders.

The post In “Longing Beach Scallops,” I see the romance of a man of the sea. Fisherman Jun Sasaki / Ofunato City, Iwate Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Hiroshima and Miyagi prefectures are well-known for producing oysters, but at the Toyosu Market in Tokyo, Maruten Suisan of Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture, has won Japan’s top first-round competition in consecutive years since 2017 for its oysters in the shell. The company’s oysters are “three-year-old” oysters, which take three years to grow, and are highly valued for their size and flavor.

Grown in Hirota Bay, which is rich in nutrients and has excellent water quality

The Sanriku coast is considered one of the three best fishing grounds in the world, where warm and cold currents collide and attract many fish. Hirota Bay in Rikuzentakata City, where Marten Suisan is located, is part of this area, and the phytoplankton contained in the fallen leaves of the surrounding mountains flows into the sea through the underground water and the Kesen River, making it a rich fishing ground. Furthermore, there are no industrial areas in the surrounding area, and unlike urban areas, the amount of wastewater from daily life is low, making the water quality excellent. In addition, the bay’s calm waves have long been a source of seaweed, scallops, oysters, and other fish.

Local Kesen cedar is used for cultivation rafts.

There are two main types of oysters widely distributed in Japan: oysters and rock oysters. The former is in season in winter, and most of them are cultivated. The latter, on the other hand, is in season during the summer, and is available both cultured and wild, with the Sea of Japan being the main production area.

There are several methods of cultivating oysters, but Marten Suisan cultivates oysters using the “raft method,” in which oyster larvae, or baby oysters, are tied to a rope and suspended from a floating raft on the sea. Oyster seeds are purchased from Miyagi Prefecture. The oyster seeds are purchased from Miyagi Prefecture, because the oyster farmers need a shallow water environment in order to collect the seeds in the sea, which is difficult to do in Miyagi Prefecture, and Miyagi Prefecture meets the requirements. The rafts are also made of local Kesen cedar. The first cedar used for the rafts was one that grew in the surrounding mountains, and it has been used to this day because of its sturdiness.

The secret of the oysters’ high reputation is their “3-year-old” size, body, and flavor.

Generally, most oyster producers grow oysters for one or two years before shipping them out, but Marten Fisheries ships “3-year-old” oysters that have been grown for three years. Originally, like other oyster producers, “one- to two-year-old” oysters were shipped to the market, but at the end of the Showa period, Mr. Sasaki’s father and other producers of the same generation decided to grow oysters for three years in order to differentiate and brand them. Currently, there are 10 oyster producers in Hirota Bay, and four of them, including Mr. Sasaki, have taken over the business. The three-year-old oysters with shells that Mr. Sasaki ships come in three sizes (SML, L, and L), with the large size overflowing the palm of an adult man’s hand. Moreover, because the meat inside is large and tasty, they have won the top prize in Japan at the Toyosu Market’s first auction since 2017. They are also well-received by the restaurants to which they sell directly, and orders are increasing every year.

We want to handle “3-year products,” even if it is risky.

However, there are risks involved in producing three-year products. Since the fish are raised in the sea for a longer period of time, there is a higher probability that they will fall from the rafts or ropes during the time they are in the sea. Even with this risk, the market price is almost the same as for two-year-old fish. Even so, Mr. Sasaki insists on raising three-year-old fish because he does not want to waste the efforts of his parents’ generation, and also because he wants to meet the demands of restaurants that repeatedly order his fish.

Innovations to improve the meat content

As mentioned above, Mr. Sasaki’s three-year-old oysters with shells are highly valued because not only the shells but also the meat is large and tasty. The secret lies in the process of removing the oysters one by one from the rope, putting them in a net, and submerging them in the sea just before shipment. The oysters are then submerged in the sea for a month while the temperature of the sea water drops daily, which makes the meat bigger, whiter, and firmer.

Unlike peeled oysters, where you can tell the size of the oyster at a glance, the meat of oysters in the shell is not always clear whether it has grown well inside the shell or not, and there is always a chance of being wrong. For example, when a restaurant opens the oyster shell and offers it to a customer, if the oyster is small, the customer will be embarrassed, but if it is large, the restaurant will trust the oyster, which will lead to the next order. That is why we do this work as a ‘finishing touch before shipping’ to ensure that there are as few ‘outliers’ as possible,” says Sasaki. In fact, in western Japan, such as Hiroshima Prefecture, the fish is shipped by the kilogram, so the size of the fish can be estimated by weight. Reducing the probability of such a situation as much as possible is the key to gaining the trust of customers.

There are other ways to grow the body size. These are “thinning” of the young clams and “hot water treatment,” in which the clams are submerged in 75°C water for 30 seconds on the boat in the summer. By thinning out the oysters, the remaining oysters are able to consume plenty of nutrients from the sea, and the hot water treatment also removes seaweed, barnacles, and other attached matter from the shells. This prevents wakame seaweed and barnacles on the shell from taking away the nutrients in the sea that the oyster needs for growth.

Incidentally, because oysters have thick shells and are highly sealed, they will survive even if they are submerged in hot water at the temperature and for the time mentioned above.

Steamed oysters are recommended in addition to raw oysters

Mr. Sasaki’s oysters are also highly regarded for their flavor. In general, oysters from Sanriku have a higher salt content than those from western Japan or Hokkaido, and the more you bite into them, the sweeter they taste. Mr. Sasaki’s oysters are no exception to this rule, and their firm flesh gives them a crispy texture when eaten raw. On the other hand, Mr. Sasaki also recommends steaming the oysters for those who are not used to eating oysters, such as children. It is said to soften the flavor of the sea and increase the sweetness.

Direct sales to increase value-added and prices

In addition to restaurants, Marten Suisan also focuses on direct sales to individuals. As mentioned earlier, the price of three-year-old oysters is almost the same as that of two-year-old oysters, so the company aims to add value and increase the price of three-year-old oysters by selling them directly. Oysters are alive until they are shucked, so the shucked oysters that arrive at the store or home are still alive and fresh. I want people to taste the oysters in their best condition,” says Sasaki. It is difficult for those who are not accustomed to handling oysters in the shell to open them, but for those who wish to use an oyster opener (a special knife), which is available for a fee for direct sales, they can experience the milky taste and crispy texture of oyster meat that was alive until just before the oyster was delivered.

Many oyster producers in Rikuzentakata, including the company, do not engage in sea urchin fishing in summer or abalone fishing in winter, but specialize in oysters. That is why they are thinking about “how to grow good quality oysters” all year round and putting their efforts into oyster production. In fact, peeled oysters from Rikuzentakata are sold at the highest unit price in Japan at the Toyosu Market, and one can imagine that the efforts of these producers are behind this. The brand power of Rikuzentakata’s oysters is sure to grow even stronger.

The post Maruten Suisan” won the highest evaluation in Japan for its “3-year-old” oysters with large, flavorful shells / Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture. first appeared on NIHONMONO.

真牡蠣の産地といえば広島県や宮城県が有名だが、東京・豊洲市場では岩手県陸前高田市のマルテン水産の殻付き真牡蠣が、2017年から連続で初競り日本一を獲得しているという。同社の真牡蠣は3年かけて育てる「3年物」で、その大きさや風味の良さが高く評価されている。

栄養豊富・水質良好の広田湾で育つ

暖流と寒流がぶつかって多くの魚が集まることから、世界三大漁場のひとつとされる三陸海岸。マルテン水産のある陸前高田市の広田湾もその一角にあり、周囲の山々の落ち葉に含まれる植物プランクトンが伏流水や気仙川を通じて海に流れ込み、豊かな漁場となっている。しかも周囲には工業地帯が無く、都会とは違って生活排水量が少ないため、水質は良好。さらに、内湾で波が穏やかなので、昔からワカメやホタテ、真牡蠣などの養殖が盛んに行われている。

養殖筏には地元の気仙杉を利用

日本で多く流通している牡蠣は、主に真牡蠣と岩牡蠣の2種だ。前者は冬が旬で、ほとんどが養殖もの。それに対し後者は夏が旬で、養殖もののほか天然ものもあり、日本海側が主な産地になっている。

真牡蠣の養殖法にはいくつかあるが、マルテン水産では、“種”と呼ぶ牡蠣の幼生、つまり赤ちゃんを付けた貝殻をロープにくくりつけ、海上に浮かぶ筏（いかだ）に吊るす「筏式」で養殖している。牡蠣の種は宮城県から購入。種を海中で採取するためには遠浅の環境が必要で、県内では難しく、宮城県がその条件に適っているからだ。また、筏の材料には地元の気仙杉を使用。周辺の山に生育していたものを利用したのが始まりで、使ってみると丈夫だったことから現在も利用が続いている。

「3年物」の大きさ＆身入りと風味の良さが高評価の秘密

一般的に真牡蠣の生産者は1〜2年育てて出荷するケースがほとんどだが、マルテン水産では3年かけて育てた「3年物」を出荷している。もともと他産地同様「1〜2年物」を市場に出荷していたが、昭和末期に佐々木さんの父親や同世代の生産者たちが、3年かけて大きく育て差別化・ブランド化を図ることに。現在広田湾の真牡蠣生産者は10人だが、そのうち佐々木さんを含めた4人がそれを継承しているのだ。佐々木さんが出荷する3年物の殻付きの牡蠣はSMLの3サイズがあり、Lサイズは大人の男性の手のひらからはみ出す大きさ。しかも中の身も大きく味も良いことから、豊洲市場の初競りで2017年から連続して日本一を獲得している。また、直売先の飲食店からも評判で、年々注文が増えている。

リスクがあっても「3年物」を手掛けたい

ただ、3年物を手掛けるにはリスクもある。海中で育てる期間が長くなるので、その間に時化で筏やロープから落下する確率が高くなるのだ。しかもそうしたリスクを抱えながら育てても、市場価格は2年物とほとんど変わらない。それでも佐々木さんが3年物にこだわって養殖しているのは、親世代の想いと努力を無駄にしたくないのと、繰り返し注文してくれる飲食店の要望に応えたいからだという。

身入りを良くするための工夫

前述のとおり、佐々木さんの3年物の殻付き牡蠣が高く評価されているのは、殻だけでなく身も大きく、味が良いからだ。その秘密は、出荷直前に牡蠣を1個ずつロープから外してネットに入れ、海中に沈める作業にある。日々海水温が下がるなか1か月間育てることで、身が大きく白くなり、引き締まるという。

「出荷できるサイズの殻付き牡蠣をさらに1か月間育てるので、手間もコストもかかるのですが、一目見て大きさがわかるむき身と違って殻付き牡蠣の身は殻の中で大きく育っているかどうかわからず、『当たり外れ』があります。例えば飲食店の方が来店客に殻を開けて提供したときに身が小さいと恥をかかせることになってしまいますが、逆に大きいと飲食店から信用を得られ、次の受注につながる。ですからできるだけ『外れ』がないよう、『出荷前の仕上げ』としてこの作業を行っているんです」と佐々木さん。実は、広島県など西日本ではキログラム単位で出荷するので重さで身の大きさを想定できるが、陸前高田市など宮城県より北の地域では個数単位で出荷するため身の大きさを想定できず、身が小さい「外れ」が紛れ込む可能性がある。その確率をできるだけ低くすることが、顧客からの信用獲得につながるのだ。

身を大きく育てるための工夫はほかにもある。稚貝のときの「間引き作業」と、夏に船上で75℃の湯に30秒ほどくぐらせる「温湯処理」だ。間引くことで、残った牡蠣は海中の栄養をたっぷり摂取することができるし、温湯処理によって殻に付いたワカメやフジツボなどの付着物を取り除くこともできる。これによって、殻に付着したワカメやフジツボが、牡蠣の成長に必要な海中の栄養を奪ってしまうのを防ぐのだ。

ちなみに牡蠣は殻が厚く密閉度が高いので、前述の温度・時間なら湯にくぐらせても生き続けるという。

生食のほかに「蒸し牡蠣」もおすすめ

佐々木さんの真牡蠣は、風味の面でも評価が高い。一般的に三陸産の牡蠣は西日本産や北海道産の牡蠣よりも塩分濃度が高く、噛むほどに甘みが感じられる。佐々木さんの真牡蠣もそのとおりで、さらに身が引き締まっているために生で食べるとサクサクした食感が楽しめる。一方で佐々木さんは、「子どもなど牡蠣を食べ慣れない人なら、蒸して食べるのがおすすめ」ともアドバイスする。磯の風味がやわらかくなるうえ甘みが増すそうだ。

直売で、付加価値と値段のアップを図る

マルテン水産では飲食店のほか、個人への直売にも力を入れている。前述のとおり市場では3年物の価格は2年物とほとんど変わらないため、直売することで3年物の付加価値と値段のアップを図っているのだ。「牡蠣は殻を開けるまで生きているので、店や家に届いた殻付き牡蠣はまだ生きている状態で新鮮。その最高な状態の牡蠣を味わってほしい」と佐々木さん。殻付き牡蠣の扱いに慣れていない人が殻を開けるのは難しいが、直売の際には、希望者に有料の「牡蠣オープナー（専用ナイフ）」を付けて発送しているので、それを使えば、直前まで生きていた牡蠣の身ならではのミルキーな味やサクサクした食感を体験できる。

同社を含め陸前高田市の牡蠣の生産者は、夏のウニ漁や冬のアワビ漁などをやらず、牡蠣専業が多いという。それだけ、一年中「いかに良質の牡蠣を育てるか」について考え、生産に力を入れているといえる。実は同市産の真牡蠣のむき身も、豊洲市場で日本一の単価で取り引きされているそうで、その背景にはそうした生産者の努力があることが想像できる。陸前高田市産の真牡蠣のブランド力は、ますます大きくなるに違いない。

The post 身が大きく風味の良い「3年物」の殻付き真牡蠣で日本一の評価を獲得「マルテン水産」／岩手県陸前高田市 first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Abalone is known as a high-end shellfish. In Iwate Prefecture, which boasts the largest catch of abalone in Japan, Gensho Ei Kitanihon Suisan has been engaged in land-based aquaculture for more than 40 years. The abalone, which is cultivated by devising unique water and feed, is named “Sanriku Jade Abalone” and branded as such. The abalone is characterized as “thick, tender, and tasty right down to the liver,” and has been well received by chefs and consumers.

Both natural and dried abalone are available. Iwate is famous for abalone

Abalone is a type of mollusk, of which there are about 70 species in the world. They are characterized by their crispy texture and are especially suitable for eating raw.

Iwate Prefecture, where Ezo abalone are caught, boasts the largest catch of wild abalone in Japan. The abalone grows slowly when the sea water temperature is low, but in the Sanriku region of Iwate Prefecture, the warm Oyashio Current flows in and stimulates the growth of the abalone, there is an abundance of seaweed such as kelp and wakame (seaweed is the food for abalone), and the fishing season is limited to two months from November to December to protect resources. Incidentally, since the Edo period, abalone caught in Yoshihama, Sanriku-cho, Ofunato City, in the prefecture had been dried and exported to China as “kippin-kampo” (dried abalone). In the Meiji period (1868-1912), the production method was improved, and the abalone was regarded as the world’s best quality in China.

Land-based aquaculture cultivates abalone with quality that rivals that of natural abalone.

Founded in 1982, Motoshoei Kitanihon Suisan is engaged in land-based cultivation of abalone in Ofunato City, which has long been famous for its abalone production. Katsuhiro Furukawa, a local fisherman, originally took up the challenge of land-based abalone aquaculture because he was concerned that the catch of natural abalone was declining year by year. The cultivation method was a matter of trial and error, and even if he tried the same method as the previous year, the abalone did not grow in the same way. Furthermore, even after finally establishing the aquaculture method, it was difficult to brand the product and differentiate it from natural products, and the product did not sell as well as expected. The turning point came when he received support from a private organization that assists companies in the six Tohoku prefectures and Niigata Prefecture. After the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, the business has been taken over by his son, President Toshihiro, and grandson, Sales Manager Shota, who produce 1.2 to 1.3 million pieces per year. They produce 1.2 to 1.3 million pieces per year. The company produces 1.2 to 1.3 million pieces per year, which is said to be one of the highest production volumes for land-based aquaculture in Japan.

Why are abalone soft and tasty right down to the liver?

There are two ways of cultivating abalone: “sea cultivation,” in which abalone are raised in fishponds at sea, and “land cultivation,” in which abalone are raised in facilities on land. The former is the most common method in Japan because it is less expensive in terms of equipment and technology, but there is a risk of natural disasters such as typhoons and theft. The latter, on the other hand, is more costly in terms of equipment, etc., but the growing environment, including water quality and feed, can be controlled, and stable production is possible throughout the year. Shota explains the advantages of land-based aquaculture, “In particular, the fact that we know the history of the feed should give consumers peace of mind.

One of the key points of the company’s land-based aquaculture is that the fish are raised in “seawater that percolates underground. This is seawater that passes through the sandy layer of the seafloor, which acts as a “filtration system” to purify the water. The company pumps this water up, filters it further, and then spills it into aquaculture tanks 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so the tanks are always filled with fresh water and are clean. When abalone eat food, they take in sand and dirt, which accumulate in their livers, but the water in the company’s tanks is clean and free of sand, which is why Sanriku Jade Abalone is “delicious right down to the liver.

Also, when abalone grow up in the ocean with currents, they are more active, their muscles develop, and their meat becomes tough. This is the reason why Sanriku jade abalone are described as “softer than natural ones.

Seaweed pigments give the shells a beautiful jade color.

The second key point is the bait. In addition to seaweed, mainly kelp, the company also feeds the fish artificial feed in the form of pellets made from Japanese kelp powder, white fish powder, and other ingredients. Because most of the abalone currently available in Japan is produced in South Korea, Motomasauei Kitanihon Fisheries believes that, as long as it claims to be domestically produced, it should focus on high quality rather than production volume first. Believing that the quality of the abalone is directly related to the quality of the feed, the company uses completely additive-free feed to which no antibiotics or other substances are added. This resulted in abalone that are thick, tasty, and free of any unpleasant taste. Incidentally, the beautiful jade green color of the abalone’s shell, which is the origin of its name, is due to the coloring of the abundant kelp that is fed to the abalone. It is clearly different from natural abalone, which eat a variety of seaweed and have difficulty producing a green color in their shells. “Individual customers are pleased with the beauty and appearance of this product,” Shota proudly states.

Integrated production with in-house breeding and hatching

While many abalone farmers raise abalone from young, the company is unique in its integrated production process, in which it breeds and hatches abalone in-house. After hatching, the abalone are raised in a container with a “corrugated plate” with seaweed on it until they reach 7mm in length, after which they are kept in an aquarium and fed the aforementioned artificial feed. Although there are individual differences, abalone grow to 3 to 4 cm in one year, 5 to 6 cm in two years, 7 to 8 cm in three years, and 9 cm in four years. Incidentally, it takes five years for a natural abalone to grow to 7 cm, the size of an adult edible abalone, while the company’s abalone grows at a faster rate of three years. The main reason for this is that the company selects fast-growing abalone for breeding. Abalone that resemble their parents also grow fast, so even though they are not given growth hormones, they grow quickly. Furthermore, the company sells half of the 2 million larvae it hatches to local fishermen. The fishermen release them into the ocean and harvest the mature ones, thus helping to conserve resources.

The company’s main product is a three-year old abalone that measures 7 to 8 centimeters, but some customers want a different size, so the company sells the desired size in the desired quantity. Shota says that 90% of the abalone is shipped fresh to restaurants and hotels, and the rest is processed into “steam-frozen products” and shipped mainly to private customers.

Undeterred by forest fires, the company is working to revive the industry.

The rise in seawater temperature due to global warming over the past few years has made it easier for bacteria to proliferate in seawater, and the company is considering installing sterilization equipment and switching to “closed-circulation land aquaculture” to prevent abalone diseases caused by bacteria. The “closed-circulation land-based aquaculture” is a method of raising abalone by circulating artificial seawater in a tank, and has been under research and development for the past five years in cooperation with a major general contractor. This method eliminates the use of seawater containing bacteria and is also environmentally friendly since the water in the tank is no longer discharged into the sea by “pouring” it over the tank.

Just as such a new experiment was being planned, a forest fire in Ofunato City destroyed part of the company’s facilities in March of this year, wiping out the approximately 2.5 million abalone in the tank. The damage amounted to approximately 500 million yen. Even if the company resumes aquaculture with new equipment, it will take three years to grow the few remaining juvenile clams to a size where they can be shipped, and there will be no income during that time. Nevertheless, both Suehiro and Shota have not given up for the sake of their employees, customers, and the local community, and have even taken on the challenge of crowdfunding to rebuild their business. We will continue to wait and believe that the day will come when Sanriku jade abalone will once again be available on the market.

The post Sanriku Jade Abalone” is thick, tender, and tasty right down to the liver, produced by land-based aquaculture. Motoshoei Kitanihon Sanriku Fisheries / Ofunato City, Iwate Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Iwate Prefecture ranks second in Japan in terms of sea urchin landings. Among these, Taneichi in Hirono Town is the largest sea urchin catch area in Japan. Kitasanriku Factory, a company that processes and sells sea urchins in Taneichi, is promoting the branding of the town’s wild sea urchins, and is also engaged in “regenerative aquaculture” of sea urchins that have been affected by “iso-yaki,” or rocky seas and are therefore not filling up properly.

Facing the open sea, natural seafood is abundant.

Located at the northernmost tip of the coast of Iwate Prefecture, the town of Yono faces the open sea without a bay, which is unusual for a town on the Sanriku coast. While exposure to rough seas makes it unsuitable for aquaculture, the direct influence of the Oyashio and Kuroshio Currents means that natural ascidians, abalone, sea urchins, etc. can be caught in abundance.

Once again, the fishing industry is making the town vibrant.

Yukinori Shimojotsubo, CEO of Kita Sanriku Factory, was born and raised in Taneichi, Hirono Town, in a family that has been in the fishing industry for generations. When he was in elementary school, he remembers diving into the sea and seeing a forest of kelp and sea urchins feeding on the kelp. Fisheries resources were so abundant that the town was vibrant. However, in the 1990s, the local fishing industry declined due to the unstable supply of raw materials for marine products and the sluggish consumption of marine products in Japan, and his father’s company began to fall into decline. He was a junior high school student at the time, but felt that he could no longer make a living in the fishing industry, so he graduated from college and became a salesman for a car sales company.

He worked in Tokyo, Sendai, Morioka, and other locations while changing jobs, but his father’s illness brought him back to his hometown in 2009. He remembered the days when the sea was abundant and the town was bustling with activity, and in 2010 he founded Hironoya, a seafood processing and sales company, with the hope of “making the town vibrant again with my own hands, just as it was back then. He then launched the brand “Kita Sanriku Factory” and incorporated it in 2018.

Aiming to increase the value of sea urchin produced in Hirono Town

Mr. Shimojitsubo focused on sea urchin as the core of his business. The type of sea urchin produced in Hirono Town is the Kitamura-Saki sea urchin. Harvested from spring to summer, it not only has a large catch, but also has a good taste. However, since they are distributed in the market as “Sanriku-grown” along with sea urchins from other regions, they wanted to somehow establish the “Hirono-cho” brand and increase the value of the sea urchins.

Uni Farm” lands natural sea urchins for the fourth year

There is a unique reason for the deliciousness of sea urchins in Hirono Town. The town’s 178 “propagation trenches,” which were artificially created on the coast about 60 years ago, are the reason why sea urchins are so tasty. The sea in Hirono is shallow, and at low tide, the seawater dries up and the seaweed dies, so the local fishermen’s cooperative built these grooves as a “seaweed bed” where the seaweed can grow. Thanks to this, even at low tide, sea urchins are able to feed on natural seaweed in the propagation trenches. According to Mr. Shimojitsubo, “The taste of sea urchins is determined by their food, and natural kelp is the best,” which is why the sea urchins in Hirono Town have such a rich flavor.

However, not all sea urchins living in the sea in Hirono Town are able to enter the propagation trench, and if too many sea urchins enter the trench at one time, they will compete with each other for seaweed. Therefore, the fishermen of Yono-cho have used their experience and wisdom accumulated over many years to manage the growth of sea urchins and create a system that allows them to be shipped in the “four-year” period when they are most delicious.

Specifically, after the young sea urchins are hatched and raised for one year at the prefectural “Sea Urchin Cultivation and Fishery Center” located near the Taneichi fishing port, they are released into the open sea for two years, and then transferred to a propagation trench where they are raised for one year before shipment. The sea urchins are fed a steady diet of natural kelp that thrives in the propagation trench for a year before shipping, resulting in a sea urchin with a strong flavor and good filling. Mr. Shimojitsubo has further branded the propagation channels as “Sea Urchin Farm®” and the peeled raw sea urchins as “Four-Year Sea Urchin from the Yono Sea Urchin Farm®”. The brand is sold from the end of April to mid-August, along with raw sea urchins in the shell, and has been highly acclaimed, especially by restaurants. The general method of sea urchin cultivation is to grow sea urchins on land or in a facility on the sea by feeding them special food.

Regenerative cultivation” of emaciated sea urchins by feeding them a unique bait

Along with the branding of natural sea urchins from Hirono Town, Mr. Shimojotsubo has also been involved in the “regenerative aquaculture” of sea urchins that are almost completely devoid of meat due to the effects of rocky seabed burns.

Isoyake,” a desert-like condition where seaweed does not grow on the seafloor, and the resulting decrease in landings of marine products, have become a problem in many parts of Japan, including Hirono Town, and one of the major causes is said to be the overgrowth of seaweed-eating sea urchins. One of the main reasons for this is said to be the overpopulation of seaweed-eating sea urchins, which have a strong reproductive capacity and are omnivorous, so they continue to live even when there is no more seaweed. Moreover, they become more active when the sea water temperature rises, so they are proliferating rapidly due to the recent rise in sea water temperature caused by global warming. However, sea urchins that continue to live in the seawater are of no commercial value because they contain almost no flesh, so they must be discarded at a disposal fee, and the amount of sea urchins that can be shipped as products will only decrease. When consulted by fishermen at ……, Mr. Shimojitsubo decided to feed the emaciated sea urchins with artificial bait to “regenerate” them into sea urchins filled with delicious flesh. He asked Associate Professor Hiroshi Urawa of Hokkaido University’s Faculty of Fisheries, who had been researching sea urchin aquaculture technology, to teach him how to do it, and he set about researching and developing bait and sea surface cultivation methods.

The development was more difficult than I had imagined,” he said. The sea urchin meat was packed tightly and had a beautiful color, but the key was that it did not taste good,” said Mr. Shimojitsubo. Nevertheless, after eight years of trial and error, they finally succeeded in “regenerative aquaculture” of sea urchins with a taste similar to that of natural sea urchins. Specifically, he developed a special cage in which to keep the sea urchins and a bait mixed with natural seaweed pomace. This sea urchin, named “Hagukumu Uni,” has attracted attention not only for its taste and filling, but also for the fact that it can be shipped year-round.

Mr. Shimojitsubo then established a local subsidiary in Australia in 2023, hoping to use the sea urchin’s regenerative aquaculture system to improve the world’s seashores and achieve the company’s mission “from Kita Sanriku, to enrich the world’s oceans. The company is now engaged in aquaculture from two bases in Australia and Japan.

Aiming to export to Europe after receiving EU HACCP certification

Unfortunately, it will take time to completely exterminate the overgrowth of sea urchins and return the sea to a state where seaweed can thrive. In fact, as mentioned above, the amount of sea urchin landings has been decreasing year by year due to rocky shore scorching, and in 2024 it was down 60%. In addition, the amount of sea urchins for sea farming is also becoming unstable due to the continuing rise in sea water temperature.

Therefore, Mr. Shimojitsubo is promoting the development of land-based aquaculture facilities in the town. Fresh seawater drawn from offshore Maehama is drawn into a fishpond on land, and the temperature is controlled while the water is poured over the fishpond, where poor-fleshed sea urchins are re-cultured. The majority of the sea urchins handled by the company are currently natural, but the company expects that more sea urchins will be cultured once the facility is operational.

The company is also eyeing overseas markets. In December 2024, the company’s main factory became the first sea urchin factory in Japan to receive EU HACCP certification. Taking this opportunity, the company is looking to export processed products and frozen cultured sea urchins to Europe. According to Mr. Shimojitsubo, price competition in the domestic market for sea urchin is becoming tougher every year due to the entry of foreign products into the Japanese market, and it is essential for the survival of the business to have its products highly evaluated on a global level. Fortunately, the popularity of sea urchins is increasing overseas, and he hopes to establish the Yono’s sea urchin brand in Europe first. Believing that this will one day lead to the revival of the town of Hirono, Mr. Shimojitsubo continues to travel around the world today.

The post Delicious natural sea urchins and “regenerated cultured sea urchins” from Kita Sanriku to the world. Kita Sanriku Factory / Yono Town, Iwate Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Ehime Prefecture, Imabari City, Oshima. Miyakubo Fishing Port and the surrounding area are a fishing village rich in seafood, nurtured by the strong currents of the Kurushima Strait. Fujimoto Junichi, who has been working as a fisherman in this region since the age of 18, is already known as a “legendary fisherman” at a young age. Why are Fujimoto’s fish trusted and sought after by top chefs in Japan and around the world?

Delivering fresh fish “made to order.”

Top chefs who handle Fujimoto’s fish say, “Fujimoto’s fish is different from others.” Even if the fish come from the same region or are the same individual, why do differences in taste, freshness, and flesh quality arise depending on who catches them? Globally, Japan’s market freshness management is among the best. However, fish that have been processed with such care as to consider the stress imposed on them and undergo nerve-pinching treatment are likely few and far between in the market.Mr. Fujimoto strives to deliver fish that are already at 100% perfection at the time of catch, fine-tuning their freshness and flesh quality to achieve a state as close to 100% as possible before delivering them to each chef. This is the secret behind the quality that clearly sets him apart from others.

Handling fish without causing stress and processing them appropriately

Fish that were actively thrashing around before processing, often described as “agitated,” are generally believed to accumulate lactic acid in their muscles, leading to poor blood circulation due to internal bleeding, which can result in a sour or fishy odor. However, by allowing the fish to rest without stress and processing them using Mr. Fujimoto’s appropriate method, the lactic acid and blood components in the muscles are broken down gently, bringing out the fish’s natural sweetness and deep umami flavor.

Mr. Fujimoto cites “time until rigor mortis sets in” as an indicator of freshness. While most fish begin rigor mortis 3–5 hours after death, fish processed using Mr. Fujimoto’s method maintain a “fresh state” for nearly 30 hours. This difference stems from his meticulous technique and experience in minimizing stress on the fish and processing them at the optimal timing.

Pioneer of “nerve-pinching”

Fujimoto’s signature technique is known as “nerve pinning.” After allowing the fish to rest in a live tank for over 24 hours, he quietly scoops them up without chasing them, delivers a single blow to the head to crush the brain and stop movement, then inserts a wire near the spinal cord to prevent signals from reaching the muscles, thereby delaying rigor mortis and decomposition.The optimal method of killing and the position of the brain to crush vary depending on the fish, but Fujimoto has mastered all of these techniques, demonstrating his craftsmanship by ensuring that the fish do not struggle at all during the process.

He also bleeds the fish at the same time. “Blood is flavor, so it is best to remove 20% and leave 80% remaining. If too much is removed, the flavor is lost, and if too little is removed, a raw smell remains.”He is also highly skilled in aging processes, having started working on aged fish years before others began. In fact, the mackerel he processes can maintain its freshness for up to 80 days.

The value of fish shared between a fisherman, a fishmonger, and a top chef.

The fourth generation of a fishing family. From a young age, he rode his grandfather’s boat and selected his favorite fish from the day’s catch. He was raised with this discerning eye for fish. Even after becoming a fisherman, he relentlessly repeated experiments on his own, from catching fish, selecting them, gutting them, to eating them, all in pursuit of fish that he himself found delicious.By the age of 26, he was shipping fish that had undergone nerve-pinning to the Toyosu Market, but the technique itself was not widely recognized, so it did not lead to high market evaluations.

The turning point came at age 28. When he directly delivered fish to a chef in Osaka, the freshness and flavor were highly praised, and he received an offer to sell directly. This led him to establish the policy of “competing in a market where the quantity doesn’t matter, and buyers purchase fish at his own price,” and he expanded his sales network solely through word-of-mouth among chefs, without engaging in sales activities.Today, Fujimoto’s fish is served at approximately 300 top restaurants nationwide. In 2021, he won the Terroir Award in the restaurant guide “Gault & Millau 2021.”

Fishermen delivering directly to chefs

Located in Imabari City, on the Shimanami Kaido, is the Michelin one-star sushi restaurant “Akahachi.”Head chefs Akase Junji and Fujimoto respect each other’s skills and knowledge in handling fish, and continue to collaborate in promoting the region’s seafood. Akase praises Fujimoto’s fish, saying, “Even if it’s the same fish from the same tank, I can tell the difference when Fujimoto catches and prepares it. The flavor is as clear and pure as a sunny day.” In response, Fujimoto laughs, “Only a few people can tell the difference.”

To convey the value of fish that has been carefully selected, it is not enough to simply say that it is “top quality.” It is essential to let customers taste the fish before purchasing it so that they can experience its true flavor. Only then can the real transaction begin. Mr. Fujimoto visits the stores that sell fish wholesale, listens to the chefs’ preferences, and adjusts the fish to meet their specifications. This meticulous matching, which is unique to fishermen and cannot be done in the market distribution system, is his strength.

A high-end dining experience with the highest level of freshness

No matter how much emphasis is placed on freshness, there are inherent limitations in distribution. Fujimoto and Akase teamed up to launch “Nijikichi,” a pop-up restaurant that fully rents out “Akakichi.” They invite guests to the production area of Imabari and Shimanami, where they serve freshly caught seasonal fish prepared in the highest quality. The cooking is handled by top chefs from various genres across the country who have been captivated by Fujimoto’s fish.By maximizing the unique qualities of local ingredients, they are pioneering a new culinary experience called “local seafood gastronomy.” Furthermore, ‘Nijikichi’ is evolving to the next stage, set to open as “Auberge Fujimoto” in 2026, offering a high-end dining experience. The “living flavor” of freshly caught fish holds an irreplaceable charm.

Aiming for the world, preserving culture as a legacy.

Mr. Fujimoto, recognizing the limitations of his fishing volume and number of business partners when working alone, has begun developing a system that can be expanded with the local community. He aims to pass on his knowledge and skills in fishing and maintaining fish quality to local fishermen, ultimately becoming unnecessary in Ehime, with his sights already set on the global market.

Fish distributed worldwide are not always delivered in the best condition compared to the Japanese market, which is renowned for its high quality. Fujimoto has actually boarded overseas fishing vessels to directly teach the technique of properly handling fish in the best condition, envisioning a future where that fish is transformed into the finest dishes by top chefs in their respective regions.

The goal is to spread the refined culture of “slaughtering fish” as Japan Quality to the world. To achieve this, it is essential to establish it as a culture rather than a one-off initiative. By enhancing the value of fish produced by fishermen, properly evaluating it, and establishing a system to support its purchase, sustainable cultural preservation becomes possible.

Mr. Fujimoto’s ultimate goal is “to eat the world’s best fish.” This stems from his lifelong curiosity as a fisherman, continuing his experiments in fishing. He says that if he can achieve this goal and confirm that the fish he has caught is the best in the world, he will have no regrets. With a global perspective, Mr. Fujimoto’s challenges in the world of gastronomy will continue to grow in influence.

The post A legendary fisherman who has mastered the art of delivering high-quality fish with a “fresh taste.” Junichi Fujimoto, representative of Hirumaru, Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture. first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Sanriku is one of the most famous fishing grounds in the world. The coastal area of Iwate Prefecture is known for its rias coastline, a complex network of bays, where scallop cultivation is thriving. Yamakiichi Shoten, located in Heita, Kamaishi City, sells “swimming scallops” so fresh you can hear the sound from inside the box. By delivering quality scallops, the company is enhancing the value of Sanriku.

Kamaishi, “City of Iron and Fish,” rich in Sanriku seafood

Kamaishi City, located in the southern coastal area of Iwate Prefecture, faces the Pacific Ocean to the east and is home to the rich marine resources of the Sanriku fishing grounds. As the birthplace of modern steel manufacturing, Kamaishi has prospered as a “city of iron and fish.

Yamakiichi Shoten is located near the Hirata fishing port in Kamaishi City. The company was founded in 1989. The company was founded in 1989 by Yukiteru Yukiteru, the father of Takeichi Kimigahara, the managing director and the president, with the aim of selling seafood from Sanriku. At first, they mainly sold wakame seaweed, but one day they were asked by the fishermen’s cooperative to sell scallops since they had a surplus of scallops due to their inability to establish a sales channel.

He started selling scallops when the fishermen’s cooperative asked him to sell them because they had a surplus of scallops without establishing a sales channel.

Iwate scallops fetch a high price.

The bay, which is made up of the intricate topography of the Rias coastline, has calm waves, making it ideal for scallop cultivation. For this reason, wakame seaweed, scallops, and oysters are actively cultivated in Sanriku.

While Sanriku boasts the second largest production of wakame seaweed and the fifth largest production of oysters in Japan, scallops are the only fish cultivated widely from Hokkaido in the north to Miyagi in the south, with Iwate scallops accounting for a mere 1 percent share of the total. Iwate scallops account for a mere one percent of the total.
Iwate’s scallops compete with Hokkaido in terms of production volume, but Iwate’s scallops compete in terms of quality. If Hokkaido is like a major sushi chain, Iwate’s role is different, like a restaurant,” Goichi says.

Iwate scallops fetch the highest prices in the market. Although the amount of scallops produced is small, the quality of the scallops is highly valued in the market.

Cultivation differs by production area

In many areas, Hokkaido scallops are cultivated using the “jimaki method,” in which young scallops are released into the sea and raised in a near-natural state on the ocean floor. On the other hand, in Sanriku, Iwate, the “ear-suspension method,” in which holes are drilled in the shells and the scallops are suspended by ropes, is the most common method of cultivation. The method of cultivation is different.

In the “ear-suspension method,” the young shellfish are released into the sea and grow by swimming around on the ocean floor. While the “ground-shelling method” uses the “surface” of the seafloor to raise the young, Sanriku Iwate’s “ear-suspension method” takes advantage of the deep water terrain of the inner bay, or “depth,” to raise them while they are floating in the water. Scallops raised by the “ear suspension method” do not come in contact with sand on the seafloor, so there is no need for them to spit sand. This is also an advantage of the “ear-suspension” method.

In addition, “ear-hanging” scallops are suspended by ropes, making them easy for fishermen to manage. Sanriku Iwate scallops are more concerned with size and quality than number. Since growth is affected by barnacles, seaweed, and other attachments to the shells, the fishermen are particular about cleaning the shells and raising and lowering the ropes to adjust the depth of the sea water flow to a good level.

It is also important to keep a proper distance between scallops in order to grow large scallops. The scallops are hung at predictable intervals to prevent them from growing too densely together. This is also done to prevent each rope from becoming too heavy. If the rope becomes too heavy and the float drops, it may reach the seafloor. If the rope is allowed to float in the water but sucks up sand on the seafloor, it is a waste of time and energy. Ear-suspension intervals, shell cleaning, and float management. These are also the particulars of the scallop fishermen of Sanriku Iwate.

While scallops from Hokkaido take three to five years to grow to the same size for shipping, scallops from Iwate can grow to the same size in two years. This is partly the result of the Sanriku fishing grounds, where the Oyashio and Kuroshio currents mix, and partly the benefit of the mountains, thanks to the nutrients from the humus that flows from the mountains. Hokkaido scallops are the same size but have thicker shells, while Iwate scallops are the same size but have thinner shells. Iwate scallops, on the other hand, are the same size but have thinner shells and larger scallops and meat.

Iwate scallops have thinner shells and larger meat, resulting in a higher yield. Yamakiichi Shoten’s “swimming scallops,” which are delivered alive, are trusted by restaurants in Tokyo for their freshness.

What are “swimming scallops”?

Recipients of Yamakiichi Shoten’s “swimming scallops” are surprised to see the scallops “swimming in the water” and the shells flapping open and closed. They even have to be careful not to get their fingers caught when peeling the shells. For this reason, the “swimming scallops” come with a peeling spatula and instructions.

You can order scallops in sizes of 11 cm or larger. The largest scallops can be as large as 15 cm or more, and there are even “phantom scallops” that can be ordered. In addition to their size, scallops swimming in the sea are thick and crisp.

The scallops’ scallops are also the muscles that open and close the shell. This is why scallops that are healthy enough to swim also have crisp scallops. If you actually peel off the shell, you will see the scallop moving and shaking.

Thick scallops and tasty strings

Yamakiichi Shoten delivers high quality scallops, carefully selecting scallops that satisfy customers in terms of size, taste, and freshness.

As a result, people who have only eaten scallops bought at the supermarket are surprised at the texture and rich taste. Some of them even say, “I didn’t know scallops could taste this good.
When people think of scallops, they tend to think only of the scallops, but with our scallops, the strings are sweet and delicious as well. Depending on the season, you can also taste the ovaries. If you work carefully, you will be appreciated. I believe that,” Goichi says.

What was commonplace in the scallop production area was “something special.

When Goichi’s father, Koki, started selling scallops, he went to Tsukiji for market research. There, he was astonished to see scallops being sold under the name “live scallops. The scallops he saw were completely different from the fresh scallops he had seen in Kamaishi, and they were very weak.

We had grown up seeing scallops freshly landed in the morning, so we took it for granted,” he said. But what was natural for scallops in Sanriku was ‘special’ elsewhere,” he recalls. We realized that Sanriku scallops were “something of value.

I want to deliver Sanriku’s valuable scallops fresh.

The president went through a trial and error process of transportation and shipping methods in order to deliver scallops fresh. At first, he loaded trucks with scallops that had just been landed, but some of them died before delivery. They were supposed to be fresh, but they were not. He realized that in order to maintain the freshness of the scallops, it was important to create the same environment as when the scallops were alive.

Scallops are only as good as the water they are landed in. Each scallop is cleaned, sorted, and created stress-free in the fish tank. Immediately after they are landed, scallops are in a state of excitement, so we make sure they rest in the fish tank for at least one day to create the same conditions as when they are in the ocean, and let them relax before shipping.　In pursuit of freshness, Goichi has arrived at the “swimming scallops,” which are delivered alive.

The method is a trade secret, but the key is to “put yourself in the scallop’s shoes.

Overcoming the Great East Japan Earthquake

The “swimming scallops” spread throughout Japan by word of mouth because of their high quality. Then, in March 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake hit. The Great East Japan Earthquake triggered a tsunami. Yamakiichi Shoten lost its office and fish tank.

The scallop fishermen who were close to Yamakiichi Shoten continued their production. Although Yamakiichi Shoten was able to continue doing business for a living even without the fish tank, Goichi said, “Our mission is to deliver good scallops from Sanriku. It is different to ask people to buy them as reconstruction assistance.” He sent letters to 30,000 customers and stopped shipping “swimming scallops” until the fish tank was rebuilt.

In July 2012, the fish tank was rebuilt and the “Swimming Scallops” were restored. Letters of encouragement and gratitude arrived from all over Japan.

We want to express our gratitude and convey the charm of the production area.

In 2020, he will open “Yosuke,” a restaurant with a direct sales shop. This is a place where people can taste “swimming scallops” while being close to the Sanriku Sea.

Because he has been delivering good scallops, he says, “Even after the earthquake, my customers never left and waited for me. I want to convey that gratitude. I also want to convey the charm of the scenery and people of the production area.

Enhancing the value of Sanriku and walking with Sanriku

On the wall of the restaurant “Yosuke” is a history of Yamakiichi Shoten, letters of encouragement received from all over Japan after the earthquake, and messages about scallops swimming in the sea.
The history of Yamakiichi Shoten is also the history of the scallop fishermen of Miyako, Kamaishi, and Ofunato.

Swimming Scallops” won the Director-General’s Award of the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency.

In 2023, “Swimming Scallops” won the Director-General’s Award of the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency in the “buyer’s room 2023.

The “Swimming Scallops” is a product made from scallops that are peeled and then flash-frozen. The scallops are large in size, rich in flavor, and plump in texture. The best quality is delivered in a paulownia wood box. Only 15% of the scallops used in this product are 45g in size. They are also very rare.

Sticking to Our Beliefs Even in Severe Circumstances

In recent years, global warming has caused sea water temperatures to rise in summer. The ocean environment, which used to be just right for scallops to live in, has changed drastically. As a result, some scallops do not survive the summer and die before being landed, leaving the aquaculture industry in a difficult situation. It is precisely because of this situation that Yamakiichi Shoten purchases at a high price the high-quality scallops that local producers grow with great care, thereby boosting the local industry.

Since my father’s generation, we have been striving to buy scallops at the highest price on the beach,” says Yamakiichi. Securing income for fishermen is important, but that alone will not last forever. I think it is also important to foster a sense of fulfillment and pride,” says Goichi. Sometimes, he would take the fishermen to restaurants that wholesale scallops in order to remind them of the deliciousness of the scallops he has raised. Today, the restaurant “Yosuke” plays a role in this process. The fishermen are rewarded when people who have tasted the “swimming scallops” at the restaurant tell others about their deliciousness and excitement, and spread the word about the scallops.

Even if the production volume decreases, we will continue to sell scallops one by one. Swimming scallops” are the very charm of Sanriku. That is why we want to deliver only the really good ones.

With this strong belief, the “Swimming Scallops” are released to the world. Their deliciousness is filled with the fisherman’s insatiable “persistence” and Yamakiichi Shoten’s desire for the development of the scallop industry in Sanriku.

The post We want to deliver fresh “swimming scallops” that tell the story of Sanriku’s potential. /Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

The coastline of the Noto Peninsula is a prime fishing ground where fish from both warm and cold currents abound. At “Hinode Oosiki,” which carries on the traditional fixed net fishing of Noto, net master Nakada Yosuke leverages his expertise in preserving freshness to directly supply fish to many chefs. Nakada, who is passionate about the seas of Noto, continues to set sail every day.

A rich fishing ground where over 100 types of fish can be caught

In spring, there are sea bream and Spanish mackerel; in summer, tuna; in autumn, mackerel and sea bass; and in winter, yellowtail, cod, and sardines. The coastline of the Noto Peninsula is home to a rich fishing ground, with over 100 types of fish circulating in the market alone.
Why is the variety of fish caught in Noto so diverse? The answer becomes clear when looking at a map of Japan. Off the coast of the Noto Peninsula, located right in the middle of Honshu, flows the Tsushima Current from the south, bringing various fish such as sardines and mackerel. Meanwhile, migratory fish like yellowtail head southward from the waters off Hokkaido. In this way, a wide variety of fish gather off the coast of the Noto Peninsula from both the south and the north.

The traditional fixed-net fishing method of “Hinode Ooshi”

Noto Town, located at the tip of the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, is a town known for its fixed net fishing. The history of fixed net fishing in this area dates back to the Muromachi period, and the Edo-period document “Noto Meiseki-shi” describes it as “the best fishing ground in Noto, where the catch is extremely abundant.”
The “Hinode Ooshi,” which operates fixed net fishing in Ukawa, Noto Town, boasts an annual catch of 2,000 tons. The fifth-generation net master, Nakata Yosuke, is known for his commitment to the quality of the fish he catches, earning him the trust of professional chefs.

Waiting for the fish and guiding them into the nets: fixed net fishing

At 1 a.m., the boat leaves the port, its engine rumbling as it heads toward the fixed nets set kilometers offshore. Hinode Ooshi has two fixed nets. As the boat cuts through the pitch-black sea, a row of round buoys marking the location of the nets comes into view. As the boat slows down, a flock of seagulls can be seen dancing in the air. “If there are seagulls, that means there are plenty of fish,” says Nakata with a smile.

The fixed net is approximately 500 meters long and 100 meters wide. Perpendicular to this net is a “fence net.” “The fence net is an obstacle that hangs down into the sea like a curtain. It is about 1,000 meters long. It blocks the fish’s path and lures them into the fixed net,” Nakata explained.

Set net fishing is done in pairs of two boats. One boat pulls the net’s rope while gradually narrowing the opening of the net. As the two boats come close to each other, a large school of sardines trapped at the back of the net becomes visible. A large net is lowered into the silver-colored swarm on the water’s surface, and the fish are quickly scooped up and lifted out by a crane.

“Nerve-pinching” to preserve freshness

A fisherman pulls a fish from the net. He inserts a thin pick into the fish’s forehead, cuts the gills, and threads a wire through the forehead into a tro box. The entire process takes just a few seconds. The fish, which was struggling moments ago, now lies quietly in the icy water.
At Hinode Ooshi, they select the best tuna, yellowtail, cod, and other fish and perform “nerve pinning” and “bloodletting.” Nerve pinning is a method of preserving the freshness of fish. A pick is inserted between the eyebrows to induce brain death, then a wire is threaded along the spine to sever the nerves, causing instant death.
“Fish that undergo nerve pinning experience delayed rigor mortis. This allows the energy components in the flesh to convert into umami flavor over a longer period, enhancing the taste,” explains Nakata-san. Bloodletting, which involves cutting the gills and draining the blood, is another essential process for maintaining freshness. It also helps eliminate any unwanted flavors and enhances the fish’s aroma.
To perform these processes efficiently and reliably on board, skilled techniques and experience are essential. The freshness and taste of the fish depend on the skill of the fishermen.

Cooking begins with “catching”

Mr. Nakata has deep connections with chefs. Through his collaboration with the head chef of a renowned sushi restaurant, he has studied onboard processing and temperature control methods, and has built relationships with many chefs, including those at Michelin-starred restaurants in Tokyo.
Sometimes chefs come to observe fixed net fishing, and other times Nakata visits restaurants to taste their dishes. “Cooking is a collaborative effort, from catching the fish to serving it on the plate. My job is to deliver the fish in the best possible condition to the chefs.” By knowing how the fish he catches will be cooked, he can perform the optimal processing. “Cooking begins on the boat,” is Nakata’s philosophy.

Overcoming the harsh circumstances surrounding the fishing industry

The environment surrounding the fishing industry is becoming increasingly harsh due to climate change, overfishing, and rising prices. According to Nakata, “In the last 30 years, the price of boats has increased 2.5 times. All other expenses have also risen, but fish prices are lower than they were 30 years ago.”

At Hinode Ooshi, they have been enhancing the value of fish through onboard processing methods like nerve-pinching, aiming for “quality over quantity.” They have also installed fish finders on fixed nets for monitoring and are streamlining operations to reduce unnecessary fishing.

However, there are limits to self-help efforts. “In an era where cheap and delicious food is taken for granted, cheap prices mean that someone else is bearing the burden. Consumers should be aware of this, and if the system related to food is not improved, the fishing industry will not be able to survive,” Nakata emphasizes.

Efforts are also underway to ensure that fishing remains a sustainable industry for the future. One such effort is resource conservation. Fixed net fishing, which involves waiting for fish to enter the nets, is considered a resource-friendly fishing method. However, to more actively protect resources, the company has widened the mesh size of its nets to allow smaller fish to escape and established a two-month fishing moratorium during the summer when juvenile fish are abundant. These measures aim to coexist with the rich seas of Noto.

Another initiative is to create a future where children can choose to become fishermen. Hinode Ooshi offers monthly salaries, two days off per week, and summer and winter bonuses, providing the same benefits as a typical company employee. “When we visit local elementary schools to give lectures on fishing, the children listen with shining eyes. Making fishing an attractive profession is the responsibility of our generation,” says Nakata.

Aiming for recovery from the Noto Peninsula Earthquake and resuming fishing operations quickly

In the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, Noto Town, where Hinode Ooshi is based, suffered significant damage. Tsunamis struck, destroying infrastructure, and people were forced to live in evacuation centers with an uncertain future.
While the wharf and workspaces were damaged, the boats remained intact. Nakata-san coordinated with various parties to secure fuel and ice for the boats, and decided to resume fishing just one week after the disaster.
“Even after deciding to resume fishing, I couldn’t sleep, torn by doubts. Was it right to work in such a situation? Who would be happy about this?” On the other hand, I also thought that if no one took the first step, even one day sooner, it would be very difficult to move toward recovery.” When he set out to sea and raised the nets, smiles spread across the deck for the first time in a long while. The first step taken by the sunrise net was the first step toward the port town’s revival.

Pride in Noto’s ingredients. A new challenge for town development

Since the earthquake, people have continued to leave Noto Town. Nakata believes that “if new challenges emerge in the town, people will return.” One such challenge is “community building through food.” He wants to make the local people aware of the value of Noto’s fish and that it can compete with fish from top restaurants, thereby restoring pride in the town.
Whether this will take the form of running a restaurant or holding events has not yet been decided. Mr. Nakata is envisioning various plans, including involving chefs he knows, to “make the town more enjoyable through food.”
“I’m itching to try various challenges right now.” From his experience of being among the first to return to fishing after the earthquake, Mr. Nakata knows firsthand that taking the first step can lead to expanding networks and spreading smiles. The challenge to restore pride and vitality to the town has only just begun.

The post Operating fixed-net fishing in the rich seas and enhancing the value of fish through on-board processing, “Hinode Ooshi” / Noto Town, Ishikawa Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Chiba Prefecture is close to the Tokyo metropolitan area, but is surrounded by the sea on three sides. Due to the influence of the Kuroshio Current and the Oyashio Current that flow offshore, fishing has been thriving since ancient times, and a wide variety of seafood is landed. In particular, the Chikura region in Minami Boso boasts one of the highest abalone catches in the country. Through the efforts of the Higashi Awa Fisheries Cooperative Association, we learned about efforts to improve the quality and value of black abalone and resource management.

Japan’s best Boso black abalone, in season in summer

The coast of Minami Boso is dotted with numerous rocky areas known as isone, where many seaweeds such as Kajime and Erame grow, which are eaten by abalone and turban shells, making it one of the largest production areas in Japan.
The black abalone of the Boso region is a historic specialty, and its name is even recorded on wooden tablets from the Nara period. At the time, there was no technology to transport it live, so abalone was dried and wrapped in strips of paper, which is said to be the origin of the modern-day noshi bag (wrapping paper).

In March 2011, four fisheries from two local cities merged to form the Higashi Awa Fisheries Cooperative. Taking advantage of its proximity to the Tokyo metropolitan area, the region offers fresh fish and processed seafood products. Black abalone with a shell length of 12 cm or more caught here have been certified as Chiba Prefecture’s branded seafood products. The black abalone caught here is highly regarded in the market as the highest quality product, with a dense meat content, a rich flavor, and a sea scent that spreads from the moment you put it in your mouth. Chiba Prefecture’s abalone catch by fish species in 2022 was 60 tons, ranking fourth in the country. In particular, the catch in the jurisdiction of the Higashi Awa Fisheries Cooperative Association accounts for more than half of the total catch in Chiba Prefecture.

In addition to black abalone, red abalone, turban shells, and spiny lobsters are also caught here, and the reason it is one of the best fishing grounds in the country is that there is no “isoyake,” a condition in which seaweed beds are significantly weakened or disappear.

The causes of isoyake vary depending on the region and environment, but in recent years, the rise in seawater temperature due to global warming has been pointed out as the rapid progression of isoyake. Sea urchins and vegetative fish become more active as the seawater temperature rises. This causes damage to the seaweed beds to the point that they cannot recover.

In the “Policy for the Preservation and Recovery of Seaweed Beds (Outer Boso Sea Area)” announced by Chiba Prefecture, it was found that there was no long-term disappearance of seaweed in this area and it was distributed throughout almost the entire sea area, whereas a decrease in the area of ​​seaweed beds was reported in the neighboring Inner Boso Sea area. This situation is also seen in fishing grounds throughout Japan. Although an accurate comparison cannot be made because the survey methods are different, the national and local governments conducted on-site inspections and analysis of satellite images and found that the area of ​​seaweed beds nationwide was 201,212 hectares in surveys conducted from 1989 to 1992, but has been decreasing to 164,340 hectares from 2018 to 2020. If the scale of the decrease was expressed in terms of cities and towns in Chiba Prefecture, it would be the size of Ichihara City, which has a total area of ​​about 368 square kilometers. Since seaweed beds of this size have disappeared in about 30 years, it is necessary to monitor and be vigilant in the future, as well as take measures to deal with this.

Fishing season in Chikura area

The abalone fishing season in Chiba Prefecture runs from April 1st to September 15th, but the fishing season in the Chikura area runs from May 1st to September 5th, a month shorter than the regular season. This is all to prevent overfishing. The abalone are mainly caught by diving fishermen, in shallow waters about 5 meters deep. Fishing by long dives using wetsuits is prohibited, and the fishing grounds are protected by sharing the limited resources with the fishermen’s own hands.

There is also a distinction between men and women in the abalone fishing industry, with the kanji for men being ama and women being ama. Most of the diving fishermen in this area are ama. When the ama fishing organization was established in 1971, there were 240 registered men and women, but due to the aging of the ama, the harsh working conditions, and the lack of young people to take on the role of ama, there are now only 35 ama.

Diving fishing requires not only fishing techniques but also the help of nature. The number of days of operation is limited, depending on the speed of the tides, the coldness of the bottom current, and the turbidity of the water. Furthermore, fully grown black abalone often find themselves alone in limited areas of reefs, making them a precious treasure of the sea that is difficult to catch in large numbers.
However, in the 1970s, overfishing of madaka abalone, which live at depths of about 20 meters, was carried out using helmet diving, which allows for long dives, leading to overfishing, and in the last three years, there has been no catch in this area. The abalone has become a phantom.

Based on these bitter experiences, there is a strong desire to protect the Ama fishing grounds, and activities to increase the resource have been undertaken early on, with the belief that “resource management is what will support the future of the fishing industry.”
Suzuki Hitoshi, councilor of the Higashi Awa Fisheries Cooperative, said, “Technological advances may make operations easier, but each fisherman has become more aware of the need to not let the resources be depleted, and I think that is what determined the current form of fishing.”
For that reason, the Higashi Awa Fisheries Cooperative uses a fishing tool called a shakubo to measure abalone in the sea to determine their size, and they strictly enforce the rule that any abalone with a shell length of 12 centimeters or less, regardless of species, must be released back into the sea.

Livestock farming to stabilize fish prices

The fish farm is about a three-minute drive from the Higashi Awa Fisheries Cooperative Association headquarters. The farming, which is said to have started here in the 1960s, is made up of a number of concrete tanks, where seawater is pumped up, cooled, oxygenated, and circulated.

The farm’s role is to provide intermediate care for abalone juveniles, temporarily stock fish caught during fishing, and rehabilitate fish injured during fishing. It also stocks and raises abalone, turban shells, and spiny lobsters caught along the coast in small cages. The farm has established a system for stable shipments even during periods of rough weather, aiming to “stabilize fish prices.”
The fish farm also wholesales directly to retailers, hotels, and inns through the fishery cooperative, and has expanded its reach through online sales, helping to protect the livelihoods of fishermen.

Import-based fisheries

Chiba Prefecture is promoting a “three-year ring harvesting method” of slowly growing abalone, releasing young black abalone to stabilize the catch and preserve the abalone fishery for the future.

This “three-year ring harvesting method” was investigated and researched in the 1970s by Chiba Prefecture, fishermen, and the Chikura Town Southern Fisheries Cooperative Association, the predecessor of the Higashi Awa Fisheries Cooperative Association, and is a method that has been worked on through trial and error to stabilize the catch by releasing young black abalone and preserve the abalone fishery for the future.

This ring harvesting method divides the fishing grounds into three areas, releasing young abalone into area A in the first year, area B in the second year, and area C in the third year, and then harvesting and releasing them after a three-year growth period, ensuring a certain catch.

At that time, after numerous discussions with the fishermen led by Councilor Yasushige Ueki, who was also a Fisheries Cooperative Association employee, and receiving their consent, they then embarked on surveys and trial fishing grounds. Local abalone who knew the ecology of abalone cooperated, such as “where to release abalone so they are not attacked by predators.” After numerous trials to determine the shape and weight to prevent them from being washed away by the tide, they arrived at a concrete block (80cm x 60cm) called a slab.
The Chikura Town Southern Fisheries Cooperative Association then produced an original slab with 5cm legs to make it easier for the abalone to live in, and installed over 1,200 of them in one fishing ground. As many large black abalone were landed, the morale of the abalone rose, with people saying “this is a worthwhile endeavor,” and the discovery that a ring harvesting method was also possible was a major achievement for those involved in the fishing industry.
“I’ve heard that it was quite hard work to get to where it is today,” Suzuki said, recalling the pioneers. “You raise the young oysters for a year, then release them into the sea and create a habitat for the surviving black abalone to spawn. Naturally, this increases the number of wild abalone and the recovery rate.”

It is said that black abalone raised in the sea for three years using the rotation harvesting method taste just as good as wild abalone. This is helping to promote the fishing industry of cultivating and cultivating black abalone. Other areas of the outer Boso Peninsula have also adopted this method, and it is drawing attention from areas around the country where coastal fishing is thriving.

The fact that maintaining this catch has brought a stable income to the abalone fishermen was recognized, and in 2016, they received the Prime Minister’s Award in the Fisheries Promotion category at the 9th Maritime Nation Promotion Merit Awards.

Introduction of the four-ring harvesting method

In recent years, the Higashi Awa Fisheries Cooperative Association has been working on a four-year ring harvesting method, extending the ring harvesting period by one year, in order to raise larger abalone and increase their added value.
Chiba Prefecture also supports this. It supports the shift to the four-year ring harvesting method, which is expected to increase natural resources by increasing revenue from catching large abalone with a high unit price and increasing spawning opportunities, and also provides technical support such as understanding the fishing ground environment, proper placement of flat plates, and efficient pest control, which are necessary to increase the productivity of ring harvesting fishing grounds.

The advantage is that the size is larger than the conventional three-year ring harvesting method. By increasing the one-year fishing ban, the proportion of abalone with shell length of less than 12 cm, which is the limit, will decrease significantly, and released black abalone will spawn at least once, which will lead to an increase in resources. And since the flat plates do not rise frequently, the stress of the abalone is reduced and they can remain in the fishing grounds.
Taking over from the pioneers, it can be said that the shift from catching to cultivating fishing has achieved a certain level of success.

Communicating the appeal of local industries

On the other hand, the decline in fishermen and the aging of the population are also pressing issues. The youngest fishermen in this region are in their 40s, and the oldest are in their 70s. Although it is a profession that allows fishermen to go out to sea for their entire lives, in order to catch abalone, which is a designated marine product, it is necessary to join a fishing association because fishing rights are set. There is no exam, but those who live in the area, are familiar with the sea, and have an awareness of resource management are recognized.

In the face of a shortage of people to take on the role, “We are recruiting fishermen for the Regional Revitalization Cooperation Team. We are working to help them become independent during the three-year term,” said Councilor Suzuki, and continued, “I hear that more and more people are interested.”

The Higashi Awa Fisheries Cooperative Association also aims to convey the appeal of the local industry by providing its farm as a place for local elementary school students to learn about the industry from the perspective of the future, and by carrying out awareness-raising activities.

The future of Boshu black abalone

The Higashi Awa Fisheries Cooperative Association supports the fisheries by setting up fish ponds and buying seafood from the fishermen. This is a rare case in the country. On the other hand, if they are poor at sales, the business will not be viable, so they need to take a step further and challenge themselves by taking distribution in the domestic market.

To achieve this, it is important to let many people know about the appeal of Boshu black abalone while strengthening the brand power.

Black abalone live on the rocks, so their numbers are limited and it takes time for them to grow. Our ancestors have learned how to deal with the long relationship between people, the sea, and black abalone using various wisdom. They will pass on the idea of ​​”being grateful to the blessings that nature has given us while we have made efforts” to the next generation. An employee of the Higashi Awa Fisheries Cooperative Association says that their current and future goal is “to increase the profits of Boshu black abalone fishermen, to encourage young people to take an interest in the local industry, and to lead to a sense of attachment and revitalization of the local area.”
Councillor Suzuki looked ahead and said, “While managing the resources, I want to preserve what has been a brand since the Nara period, maintain the number of fishermen and the amount of catch, and preserve the traditions of this region as an industry that people can make a living from.”

There will no doubt be challenges in the future, such as environmental change and the issue of who will carry on the work. However, there are many people who have worked hard to create fishing grounds and use the rotation harvesting method to preserve abalone fishing for the future. The light of abalone fishing and Ama culture will never be extinguished.

Please take this opportunity to try Boshu black abalone, which boasts the highest quality in Japan.

The post Preserving the ancient bounty of the sea, “Boshu Black Abalone,” for the future. “Higashi Awa Fisheries Cooperative Association” first appeared on NIHONMONO.