Japan lags behind other countries in the efforts toward sustainable management of fish stocks in its surrounding waters. Many of the species familiar to Japanese consumers such as bluefin tuna, Alaska pollock and Japanese pufferfish are suffering from declining populations after years of overfishing to the point that the future of the fishing industry could be in doubt unless action is quickly taken to remedy the situation.
The Fisheries Agency has begun exploring new ways of controlling marine resources. The government is urged to overhaul the current policy, which focuses on voluntary management by fishing entities, and consider the introduction of new measures such as a system that establishes catch quotas for individual fishing boats. Fishermen also need to change their mindset and actively take part in sustainable fishing efforts.
According to the agency's evaluation of the stocks of 85 fish species that are caught in waters near Japan, the stocks of 36 species are at a low level, with 15 of them facing continuous decline. Many of the species in this category are Japanese favorites, including Japanese horse mackerel, the Okhotsk Akta mackerel and sand lances. The adult population of the Pacific bluefin tuna — the catch and consumption of which Japan leads — is estimated to have fallen to its lowest-ever levels.