Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2013 March 6 - 12 [GREAT EAST JAPAN DISASTER]

Disaster-affected fishermen moving toward recovery path

In Miyagi’s Minamisanriku Town which was devastated by the massive earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011, fishermen are moving toward recovery from the disaster through “wakame” (brown seaweed) cultivation using public financial support.

The town is situated in the northeast part of the prefecture, facing the Pacific Ocean. On March 11, the entire town was washed away by waves of 16 meters, and half of the town’s population died or were missing.

Most areas of the disaster-hit seashore remained untouched until some large tents were recently put up there. These tents are used by fishermen’s groups under a state project which aims to financially support the recovery of fishing and aquaculture industries in the disaster-hit region. To form a group to run a business is a requirement for fishermen to be eligible to apply for the funds.

A wakame farming group in a tent is working to ship newly harvested wakame seaweed. The group applied for the project and restarted the wakame farming business last year. Early March is the season for harvesting wakame.

Group member, Kubota Toshiyuki, said, “Thanks to the project, we could build our workplace, although it is temporary, and purchase some fishing boats and equipment. In addition, many volunteers still come to help us. Right after the disaster, some of my friends were about to give up attempting to reconstruct the wakame business. But, with various help, we could work hard to resume operations.”

These fishermen, however, still face difficulties before they can bring their farming business back on the path of full-fledged recovery.

Under the state project, fishermen’s groups operating sea farming businesses can receive government subsidies which cover 90% of their business expenses. The support, however, will end in five years after the groups restart their business.

Moreover, the Miyagi Governor plans to establish a special fishery restoration zone and encourage private corporations to enter into the marine products industry in defiance of opposition from fishermen and fisheries cooperatives.

Sato Takayuki, leader of the wakame farming group and executive of a fishery cooperative in Minamisanriku Town, had a bitter experience of having heavy debts when he was involved in the farming of salmon managed by a major marine products company.

“Private companies will withdraw from local industries when they are judged to be profitless. Only those of us living by fishing can protect our industries,” Sato said.