Prof. Gregory Nishihara1,2,3
1Organization for Marine Science and Technology, Nagasaki University, 2Graduate School of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Nagasaki University, 3Institute for East China Sea Research, Nagasaki University
The coastal fisheries industry in Japan is relies heavily on a stable and healthy coastal ecosystems. However, through the combined and often synergistic effects of industrial pollution, land reclamation, coastal armoring, and over-fishing, kelp, sargassum, and seagrass ecosystems in Japan have quickly declined. The permanent loss of submerged aquatic vegetation is known as iso-yake in the country. Historical instances of kelp restoration date back to the 1700s. But contemporary efforts have been in response to the noted seaweed declines of 20th century. While there has been a significant investment into kelp restoration in the country, including hundreds of attempts at restoration, large scale recovery is still rare. The major instrument for Japanese kelp restoration is the Fisheries Multiple-function Demonstration Project which combines federal, prefectorial, and local funding to launch projects. This talk outlines the current status on seaweed bed restoration in Japan while also highlighting key issues to address for the future.