'Sakura-ebi' shrimp. (Photo: The Asahi Shimbun)
Shrimp fishing season called off in Suruga Bay to protect the resource
JAPAN
Saturday, December 15, 2018, 00:00 (GMT + 9)
The decline in ‘sakura-ebi’ shrimp adult stocks in Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture, led fishing authorities to ban the fishing season, which could negatively affect communities on the Pacific coast.
Sakura shrimp
Sakura-ebi shrimp are popular ingredients in "kakiage" tempura or sashimi dishes, and Shizuoka Prefecture says 100 per cent of those caught in Japan come from Suruga Bay, The Asahi Shimbun reported.
Map of Suruga Bay, in Japan
The decision to scrap the autumn fishing season was based on standards set in 1977 under a resource conservation system introduced for all fishing vessels in the community, which stipulates that fishing for the species is allowed if less than 33 per cent of sakura-ebi are juveniles under 35 millimeters in size.
But according to The Asahi Shimbun, an analysis on about 1,300 sakura-ebi caught on December 10 showed that 63 to 76 per cent of them were juveniles. The test was conducted by the prefecture-run fishing technology research institute located in Yaizu.
“Kakiage” tempura with “sakura-ebi” shrimp is a popular item at the Sakura restaurant in Yaizu, Shizuoka Prefecture. (Photo: The Asahi Shimbun) ►
In fact, four analyses for the autumn fishing season showed that the adult population of the shrimp was insufficient for fishing.
The autumn fishing season usually runs from late October through December 24. The start of the season this year was postponed for the tests, and it was completely called off after the final results were revealed.
The annual volume of sakura-ebi caught in the autumn season has ranged from 200 to 500 tons over the past 15 years. Those figures were only 20 to 50 per cent of the hauls during the more lucrative spring seasons.
But the spring season this year was a disappointment, with a record-low 312 tons of sakura-ebi caught. And now, no shrimp will be caught in the autumn season.
The prefectural government’s marine resource department said additional rules should apply to ensure a sustainable population of the species, as such shrimp start laying eggs around June.
An official of that entity said the prefecture will share scientific findings from the fishing technology research institute with people in the fishing industry. Shizuoka Prefecture also plans to continue talks with industry officials on measures to support a recovery of the marine resource and the fishing business.
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