Current Trends in Japan’s Coastal and Marine Ecosystems
Japan’s coastline measures 29, 020 kilometres. It serves as a habitat to various and diverse marine life including shelves, mangroves, seagrasses, coral reefs, fishes, molluscs, crustaceans, and other protected aquatic animals and marine species. However, it should be noted that in 1995, an estimated 96% of the human population is living within 100 kilometres of the coast which mainly affect Japan’s coastal and marine ecosystems since 1960s. From this, three trends in Japan’s coastal and marine ecosystems would be discussed, particularly on Japan’s fisheries. This would include Japan’s fisheries production, fisheries consumption, and fisheries trade. All of the information was based from the findings during the periods of 1980 to 2000.
Trend 1: Fisheries Production
Fish capture, as defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, is the “ nominal catch of fish, crustaceans and molluscs, the production of other aquatic animals, residue and plants and catches of aquatic mammals, taken for commercial, industrial, recreational and subsistence purposes from marine waters.” This excludes, though, capture from aquaculture and freshwaters. In 1985, Japan marked the greatest number of captured fisheries with 11, 000, 000 metric tons. For the next five years, the status was almost stable, except a slight decline in 1986. However, after 1990, a sudden decrease in the percent of the fish capture occurred. This continually happened until 2000, wherein Japan’s fish production declined to approximately 5, 000, 000 metric tons only. The decline in the production of marine fishes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2008), was mainly brought by pollution. Water pollution has been a major problem in the protection of the marine life since 1960s, when Japan’s coastal areas suddenly became sites for heavy industries. There were also reports of water contamination including mercury, cadmium, and radioactive wastes.
Trend 2: Fisheries Consumption
Japan is one of the countries in the world having the highest per caput consumption level of fish (Westlund, 1995). In 1990, each person is said to be consuming 71 kilograms of fish. However, this trend changed in 2000 as the fish consumption for each person only counts as 65 kilograms. Nevertheless, it is still high compared to the fish consumption of countries in Asia. According to a news article, one of the reasons for the decline in the fish consumption in Japan is due to the possible overtaking of meat among Japanese households. The article mentioned that rising fish prices and a “growing taste for easy-to-cook meat” (Japan Weekly Monitor, 2007) are some of the reasons.
Trend 3: Fisheries Trade
In 1980, Japan’s annual import of fish and fisheries products was over $1,500M. The fish export, on the other hand, was only about $4,000M. The trend continued in 1990, but this time, the import of fish increased to $11,000M while the export nearly increased in $ 1,000M and stayed there until the year 2000. Fish import, however, inclined to $16, 000M. From this data, it can be concluded that Japan’s past fisheries trade was affected by the decrease in the fisheries production. Ironically, the decrease in the fisheries consumption was not in-line with the trend in fisheries export.
Conclusion
Current trends in Japan’s coastal and marine ecosystem can bring a major impact to the economical, socio-political, and environmental sectors of the country. If these trends will continue, an implication in Japan’s food security will occur. Furthermore, the current trend in fisheries export will only give short-term economic gain. Because of this, there might be possibilities of exploitation of the local resources.
References
Coastal and Marine Ecosystems—Japan. Earth Trends Country Profiles.
http://earthtrends.wri.org/pdf_library/country_profiles/coa_cou_392.pdf
Japan Weekly Monitor. Meat could overtake household fish consumption in Japan: 28 May
2007. Retrieved on 13 June 2008.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2008). Sea of Japan large marine ecosystem.
9 May 2008. Retrieved on 11 June 2008. http://www.eoearth.org/article/Sea_of_Japan_large_marine_ecosystem
Westlund , L. (1995). Apparent Historical Consumption And Future Demand For Fish And
Fishery Products – Exploratory Calculations. Retrieved on 13 June 2008. http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/AC442E/AC442e13.htm
