General News

Self-Imposed Ban on Aomori Sea Cucumber Fishing to be Lifted; Potential Markets Found Amid China’s Halt to Japan Imports

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
Boats used for sea cucumber fishing are lined up at a port in the town of Hiranai, Aomori Prefecture.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

1:00 JST, October 26, 2023

AOMORI — The Aomori prefectural fishery cooperative association and 27 fishing cooperatives in the prefecture have agreed to lift in November their self-imposed ban on fishing for sea cucumbers.

They have refrained from fishing this month due to difficulties finding a market for sea cucumbers, whose main importer is China. Beijing suspended all imports of Japanese marine products in response to the release into the ocean of treated water from Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

The cooperatives held a closed-door meeting in Aomori on Tuesday to reach the agreement.

According to the association, the ban will be lifted because potential shipping destinations have been found.