"Not a Single Fish Caught" ... Japan in Turmoil as Fall Favorite's Catch Plunges 80%

Japanese Saury Catch Plunges 80% ... Lowest on Record
No Saury Caught in Aomori and Ibaraki Prefectures
Marine Environment Changes and Overfishing by Chinese Vessels Among Factors

The catch of saury, a staple side dish on Japanese tables and a popular accompaniment to drinks, plunged 80% from August to October this year compared with the same period last year, hitting its lowest level since records began and setting off alarm bells at dinner tables across Japan. Prices are also surging as rapid changes in the marine environment coincide with competition over fishing grounds on the high seas.

The catch of Pacific saury, a staple side dish and popular accompaniment to drinks in Japan, plunged 80% from the same period last year between August and October, hitting a record low since statistics were first compiled and sounding the alarm at dinner tables across the country. Getty Images

Just 8,796 Tons in Three Months... The Worst "Saury Drought" Since 1989

According to Kyodo News on November 5, data compiled by the National Saury Fisheries Cooperative Association showed that 8,796 tons of saury were caught at fishing ports nationwide during the period. That was the lowest August-to-October total since records began in 1989.

Japan's Fisheries Agency had already forecast in July that this year's catch would fall below last year's. An official from the National Saury Fisheries Cooperative Association said, "Catches have increased every year in recent years, but this year the situation is catastrophic," adding that "poor catches are expected to continue after November."

An image generated using artificial intelligence (AI) to help readers understand the article. Gemini.

The decline was also pronounced across regions. Hokkaido, the largest production area, caught 7,952 tons, down 76% from the same period last year. Iwate Prefecture caught 610 tons, Miyagi Prefecture 232 tons, and Fukushima Prefecture just 3 tons, equivalent to only 2% to 11% of their totals for the same period last year. No saury were caught at all in Aomori, Ibaraki, or Chiba prefectures. This year, the saury being caught are also generally smaller.

Marine Environment Changes and Unrestrained Fishing on the High Seas Compound the Problem

Changes in the marine environment and competition from foreign fishing vessels are cited as factors behind the poor catches. Japan's fishing industry also believes that Chinese and Taiwanese vessels catching excessive quantities of saury on the high seas have contributed to the decline in supply.

The long-term decline is also clear. Japan's annual saury catch peaked at about 350,000 tons in 2008 and has remained sluggish ever since. Last year, the annual catch stood at about 65,000 tons.

Prices Soar, Frozen Fish Becomes a Substitute

The poor saury catch is already changing consumer prices and the landscape of Japan's food service industry. According to the September Consumer Price Index (CPI) released by Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, saury prices soared 27.8% from the same month last year.

Otoya, a popular Japanese restaurant specializing in set meals, has sharply reduced the number of locations offering its limited-edition fall menu, the grilled saury set meal, to 200, or about 60% of all its locations. Getty Images

The fallout has hit the restaurant industry and local events directly. Japanese set-meal chain Ootoya has sharply reduced the number of locations offering its limited-edition fall menu, the charcoal-grilled fresh saury set meal, to 200, or about 60% of its stores. At the traditional Meguro Sanma Festival, held in central Tokyo last month, grilled saury was made with fish caught the previous year and kept frozen, instead of fresh saury.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.