Enclosing Salmon: Social-Ecological Resilience and Salmon Aquaculture in Japan

2020 Fiscal Year Research-status Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K12303
• Research Institution: Sophia University
• Principal Investigator: 伊藤 毅 上智大学, 国際教養学部, 教授 (10646863)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 渡邉 剛弘 上智大学, 国際教養学部, 准教授 (50439337)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: Ecology and Society / Salmon Aquaculture / Social Institutions / Climate Change / Adaptation / Resilience

Outline of Annual Research Achievements

This year was the first year of this research grant. Due to the travel ban amid the global pandemic COVID-19, we focused on surveying the state of salmon aquaculture in Japan. More specifically, we compiled a database of salmon farms in Japan. Our survey shows there are a total of 56 such farms in various locations throughout the country. We also identified different investors, brand names, types of farming, production volume and sales of these farms. Then, we selected a few farms for interviews, and conducted phone interviews with the farms and made plans for visits (visits were cancelled due to the pandemic situation). We also reviewed the existing literature and data on salmon aquaculture, census data and white papers concerning salmon aquaculture published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fishery and Forestry and the Fisheries Agency. We compiled the history of salmon fishery including traditional salmon catch methods practiced by the Ainu people in Hokkaido, and current industry-related information.

Current Status of Research Progress

3: Progress in research has been slightly delayed.

Reason

The outbreak and spread of COVID-19 in early 2020 prevented us from conducting fieldwork. We are currently doing what we can—i.e., reviewing the existing literature and updating ourselves with current news and developments in salmon aquaculture.

Strategy for Future Research Activity

Because it is difficult to predict the outlook of the pandemic situation, our research plans for 2021 include research activities that do not involve travel. While we remain cautious about the spread of the pandemic, we will wait for the right timing of conducting fieldwork when vaccines become available to wider age groups of people in Japan towards the end of the year. When the state of emergency and related bans are lifted, we will make preliminary visits to case study sites to meet stakeholders, conduct interviews, gather existing data, and collect exploratory data on river and coastal environments.

Causes of Carryover

Due to the outbreak and spread of the global pandemic, there have been several occasions where the state of emergency was declared, causing some delays in conducting research. The fund will be effectively used to make progress considering the situation.