Auctions with protection masks is a frequent thing at the moment in Japan

As fish consumption in restaurants decreases, fishermen and wholesale market see their business fall

JAPAN
Monday, April 06, 2020, 00:00 (GMT + 9)

As fish consumption at restaurants decreases due to the new coronavirus, fisheries officials at the Choshi fishing port in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, have the highest fish landing volume, raising concerns about falling fish prices.

At Choshi Fishing Port in Choshi City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, where the amount of fish landing has been nine years in a row, blue fish such as sardines and mackerel, as well as high-quality fish such as tuna and kingfisher, which are shipped to restaurants in the Tokyo metropolitan area, have been caught. The bluefin tuna and red sea bream that had just been landed were being bid for the day.

Wholesaler Choshi market (Photo: Stockfile)

On the other hand, according to the Choshi Fisheries Cooperative, the consumption of fish in restaurants has been stagnant due to the new coronavirus, and prices have fallen, mainly for luxury fish shipped to the Tokyo metropolitan area. That is. 

Among them, the market price of Kinmedai fell by about 20% after the call to Tokyo residents on the evening of 25th of last month to refrain from going unnecessarily on weekends and nights. 

Fish market prices fall after the 25 of march (Image: NHK/YouTube)

Last month, the average unit price per kilogram at the market during the five-day market where fish were caught was 2087 yen on the 13th, 2113 yen on the 19th, and 2145 yen on the 25th. It was 1704 yen on the 26th and 1659 yen on the 31st. 

Under such circumstances, some fishermen are considering measures such as reducing fisheries, and said Masanobu Sakamoto, Choshi's fishery cooperative, said, "I am worried that we will not know when we will end. I think that is important, and I want consumers to reconsider the domestic fish again. "

editorial@seafood.media
www.seafood.media

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