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Fisheries Agency's Supplemental Budget Amounts to \98.1 B.
April 10, 2009
The Fisheries Agency completed its supplemental budget proposal for the year 2009. \34.1 billion was allotted for public uses, such as fish harbor infrastructure improvement. \64 billion was earmarked for general use: \12.4 billion for a fishing ground management project, mainly for the purpose of collecting abandoned fishing gears by South Korean ships; \2.4 billion for fishing career promotion and employment growth through collaboration with other business fields; \19.9 billion for fishery structure comprehensive reform project (also called "Profitable Fisheries"), which aims to increase profitability with structural reorganization and rejuvenation; and \10 billion for fishing industry emergency financial support.
The following is the content of the 2009 Fisheries Agency supplemental budget:
1) Reinforcement of seafood supply power by boosting production capacities of fishing grounds surrounding Japan: a) \34.1 billion for fisheries foundation structure improvement, which entails upgrade of fishing grounds, fishing port faculties, and community facilities; b) \12.5 billion for resources recovery and fishing ground productivity improvement, which involves enhancement of marine forest and intertidal flat by rotation of fishing rest, and elimination of floating objects; and c) \12.4 billion for a fishing ground function maintenance project, which covers collection and disposal of abandoned fishing gears by foreign fishing boats.
2) Fishing career promotion and employment growth through collaboration with other business fields: \2.4 billion for a human resources development project, which includes implementation of long-term training for new hires, and upkeep of training boats by fisheries cooperatives.
3) Reinforcement of competitive edge of fisheries and aquaculture, responding to the dearer yen and fish price slump: a) \19.9 billion for a fishery structure comprehensive reform project, which entails enhancement of profitability of fisheries and aquaculture by introducing high performance fishing boats and high technology quality management methods; b) \10 billion for fishing industry emergency financial support, which involves extensive safety net for fisheries (total insurance amount \120 billion), and an interest aid for financing of fishing boats and aquaculture facilities; and c) \1.2 billion for a special project of promotion of domestic seafood products distribution, which aims for expansion of local consumption of domestic marine products with an aid for processing costs for school lunch materials.
4) Acceleration of implementation of facilities and equipment for productivity enhancement: a) \2.9 billion for a subsidy for thriving fishing industry, which includes overhaul of the existing faculties for their prolonged uses, improvement of fuel tanks on remote islands, as well as development of coastal fishing grounds; and b) \2.7 billion for facility maintenance for the Fisheries Research Agency, which engages in technology development essential for competitiveness of the fisheries and aquaculture industries.
The original article was published on April 10, 2009 and was translated by Kiyo Hayasaka.
Tokyo Metropolitan Fish Market Projection of April Trend Indicates Bullish Move of Bonito
April 8, 2009
An aggregate amount of goods received in March at the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market (total of fresh, frozen, and processed seafood products) indicated a slight decrease, contrasted with a month earlier; a wholesale price (the average price per kg of the whole seafood products) moved horizontally.
The followings are the projected trends of the main commodities in April:
[Spotlined sardine (fresh)] Its arrival amount is predicted to remain the similar to the previous month; its wholesale price may also shift sideways. As a whole, it may exhibit a stagnate move.
[Salmon/trout (chilled/frozen)] It is forecasted that their arrival amount will be about the same as the last month; their wholesale value may move flat, as well. Chilean coho salmon has mostly finished arriving.
[Mackerel (fresh)] A fewer amount of the fish than the last month is predicted to arrive; its wholesale price will move somewhat bullishly.
[Sagittated calamari (fresh/cold food)] Its arrival amount will show a slight decline, compared with the moth earlier; its wholesale price is anticipated to head upward.
[Horse mackerel (fresh)] An increase in its arrival amount is forecasted, compared to a month earlier; its entering a demand season will contribute to a horizontal move of the wholesale price.
[Tuna (frozen)] Though the similar amount of tuna is predicted to arrive, its wholesale value will remain unchanged.
[Bonito (fresh)] More bonito is believed to reach the market than last month; however, the wholesale price will exhibit a bullish move due to demand for the new fish.
| | Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market Wholesale Price
(approximate figures) |
March
(yen/kg) | Comparison with previous month* | Year-to-year comparison | Average year comparison* |
| Sardine (fresh) | 1,020 | 84% | 122% | 117% |
Salmon/Trout
(average-salted/frozen) | 632 | 96% | 114% | 109 |
| Silver Salmon (salted) | 683 | 100% | 116% | 110% |
| Coho Salmon (salted) | 578 | 100% | 191% | 184% |
| Chum Salmon (Tokizake-salted) | 750 | 100% | 93% | 105% |
| Sockeye Salmon (salted) | 950 | 100% | 110% | 106% |
| Salmon (frozen products) ** | 614 | 97% | 118% | 115% |
| Mackerel (fresh) | 356 | 89% | 87% | 81% |
| Sagittated Calamari (average) | 488 | 112% | 101% | 92% |
| Fresh | 580 | 117% | 86% | 88% |
| Frozen | 288 | 100% | 96% | 86% |
| Horse Mackerel (fresh) | 629 | 111% | 103% | 96% |
| Tuna (frozen products)*** | 1,337 | 95% | 98% | 104% |
| Big-eyed Tuna | 858 | 102% | 97% | 101% |
| Yellowfin Tuna | 689 | 101% | 85% | 111% |
| Bluefin Tuna | 3,461 | 90% | 90% | 112% |
| Southern Bluefin | 1,805 | 90% | 68% | 92% |
| Bonito (fresh) | 1,194 | 113% | 78% | 108% |
*: February prices are the preliminary results from Feb. 1 thru 20; the average year means a period of 2004 to 2008.
**: This category mainly includes coho salmon, silver salmon, chum salmon, sockeye salmon, and Atlantic salmon.
***: Frozen tuna products consist of big-eyed, yellowfin, bluefin, and Southern bluefin tunas.
| Total Arrival Amount to Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market and Average Wholesale Price (approximate) (Unit: 1,000 tons; yen/kg) |
| | March | February | January |
| Arrival amount | Price | Arrival amount | Price | Arrival amount | Price |
| 2009 | 46 | 774 | 51 | 773 | 50 | 916 |
| 2008 | 55 | 825 | 53 | 806 | 49 | 980 |
The original article was published on April 8, 2009 and was translated by Kiyo Hayasaka.
Maruha-Nichiro Suisan Picks Tomokazu Marushige for Director
April 8, 2009
Maruha-Nichiro Suisan made the following changes in personnel, effective on April 1:
Resignation: Shinji Omoda (director); Yuji Igarashi (director); Eiichi Mamoru (new consultant); and Hiromi Amino (new consultant).
New Position: director = Tomokazu Marushige (former suisan division chief 1); director = Hiroshi Okazaki (former representative in North America); director = Masayuki Nakajima (former suisan division chief 5); corporate officer = Shuichi Seta (former suisan division chief 2); and corporate officer = Osamu Kuriyama (former suisan division chief 3)
The original article was published on April 8, 2009 and was translated by Kiyo Hayasaka.
Inquiry concerning The Suisan Times: suisan@suisantimes.co.jp
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