GOAL
Japan—an island nation stretching far from north to south—boasts the sixth-largest ocean area in the world (including territorial waters and exclusive economic zones). Its unique and richly biodiverse oceans have been shaped by the varied coastline, submarine topography, four nearby ocean currents, and the presence of many rivers and countless groundwater arteries carrying nutrients and minerals from the forests. Of the 15,000 species of saltwater fish found worldwide, approximately 3700, or 25%*, inhabit waters surrounding Japan (of which 1900 are endemic species).
Our distribution network for fresh seafood has an incredibly long history, with the work of countless professionals, from fishermen to wholesalers and retailers, ensuring the freshness and high quality of seafood, and elevating Japan’s reputation as a seafood powerhouse.
Our traditional cuisine, called washoku, developed against this backdrop of bounty. Washoku makes great use of the ocean’s blessings; dishes served at home and in restaurants would be nothing without seafood. This is also true for Italian, French and Chinese cuisine in Japan, with variations of seafood dishes and techniques that are unparalleled in the world.
* Source: The National Biodiversity Strategy of Japan 2012-2020 (decided by the Cabinet, Sep. 2012)
But our oceans are facing a crisis. There has been a constant decline in Japan’s fisheries and aquaculture production over 40 years from 1984, when it reached a peak of 12.82 million tonnes, with 2024 figures of XXX tonnes, amounting to just 30% of that peak. Coastal fishing production alone has fallen below half that of the peak (*1). According to the 2019 White Paper on Fisheries, in the assessment of 84 stock groups of 50 species found in waters surrounding Japan, the resource levels of 49% were marked as “low”. Further, among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the most recent Sustainable Development Report (*2) identified SDG #14 Life Below Water—conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources—as one of five issues of grave concern for Japan.
*1 MAFF Statistics Department, Fisheries and Aquaculture Production Statistics
*2 A report published each June by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and Germany’s Bertelsmann Foundation scores each country on their level of achievement toward the SDGs. According to the 2024 report, the issues of gravest concern for Japan relate to #5 achieving gender equality, #12 ensuring responsible consumption and production, #13 taking urgent action to combat climate change, #14 protecting marine ecosystems, and #15 protecting biodiversity on land.
This Must Be the Turning Point
The effects of decades of national land development, changes in the maritime environment due to global warming in recent years, and the impact of significant fluctuations in Japanese sardine stocks are just some factors causing declines in fisheries resources. In particular, one frequently raised cause is overfishing beyond the natural reproductive capacity. Despite the many examples from Europe and beyond of tight controls on fishing volumes resulting in rejuvenated stock numbers, Japan's fisheries resource management systems have not yet stopped the decline in fishery resources of many species.
To date, Japan has implemented a range of resource management initiatives. Still, we are facing a long-term trend of declining catches. The many possible factors behind this include changes in the marine environment and increased activities by foreign fishing vessels in our surrounding waters, but we believe that with more appropriate resource management, we could have prevented or mitigated the decline in many fishery resources (from the White Paper on Fisheries).
In December 2018, for the first time in 70 years, the Fisheries Agency revised the Fishery Act to incorporate “sustainability” into the law. After a two-year preparation period, the revised Fishery Act came into force in December 2020, and the government released a road map with detailed target numbers and procedures for achieving those targets. (A revised road map was announced in 2024 due to a delayed start.)
Unfortunately, progress on these initiatives is already behind schedule, and fisheries production figures continue to decline even after the Act’s revision. Going forward, achieving drastic and necessary changes in our oceans requires fishermen, distributors, consumers and restaurants—society as a whole—to clearly understand the current situation and push for sustainable initiatives by government bodies and fishermen to change the entire supply chain.
Sustainable Oceans and a Bright Future for Our Food Culture
Our ongoing enjoyment of the precious blessings of the ocean demands protection of the ocean environment inhabited by the fish and proper management of fishing catches.
We need to cooperate with fishermen and motivate society to shift to using, wherever possible, fish caught through practices that consider the environment and careful management of resources, or produced through aquaculture, with an awareness of the local context and minimal environmental impact. Many European countries have been doing this successfully already.
There are 4 million restaurant operators in Japan. As the link between producers and consumers, chefs are in a prime position to send a message, loud and clear, to the culinary world. Chefs for the Blue will continue taking action to create new consumption models while working to spread the word about ocean issues in society and protect our wonderful seafood-based food culture.