Governor Koike: 'Tokyo Will Promote Sustainable Management of Marine Resources'

At a meeting of the advisory council to discuss the promotion of Tokyo’s fisheries industry, Governor Koike said that Tokyo will promote the management of marine resources to realize their sustainable utilization while embarking on onshore farming of freshwater fish.

 

At the meeting—held on July 29 and the first session for the fiscal year 2025--Governor Koike noted, “In the Izu and Ogasawara Islands, rising sea temperatures continue, resulting in a 50% drop in a catch of fish over the past 20 years. The situation has become even more severe due to the impact of climate change and other factors. Meanwhile, the Tama region (in western Tokyo) has been hit not only by torrential downpours but by a decline in the water volume of clear streams, deteriorating the breeding environment for ayu and yamame, freshwater fish.”

She said that Tokyo plans to embark on onshore aquaculture that can produce freshwater fish stably and won’t be affected by climate change, promote resource management for the sustainable use of fisheries resources, and work on branding bluefin tuna, whose catch has been increasing in recent years.

“On the other hand, we face a big challenge of decarbonization, which we will tackle by utilizing renewable energy. For this matter, offshore wind power generation is seen as a key solution. The waters off the Izu Islands have been designated as a preparation area,” the governor pointed out.

“Yet, implementation requires the understanding and cooperation of fisheries stakeholders. We will engage in thorough discussions with them. While addressing challenges such as the decline in the number of fishermen and consumers’ tendency to shy away from eating fish, we aim to work together to push forward necessary initiatives toward achieving a sustainable society,” she emphasized.