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Symposium on Japan’s Eco-Label

June 16, 2010

The Women's Forum Fish (WFF), represented by Yuriko Shiraishi, and the Group to Appreciate Marine Wealth held a symposium on June 14 under the title of “People Who Want to Keep Eating Fish, Gather Around! Resource Management That Connects Fishery and Dining Table.” It was sponsored by MEL Japan.

First off, a member of the board of directors for the Japan Fisheries Association, Toshinori Saito, who also represents MEL Japan, shared information about MEL Japan: “[MEL Japan] has just begun. Its institutional structure isn’t complete, yet; we want to play an important role in the conservation of ecosystems, improving the structure of the organization itself.”

Shingo Yamashita, Bureau Chief of the Morozaki Chamber of Commerce, spoke about MEL Japan certified Ise/Mikawa Bay sand lance fisheries of the Whitebait/Sand Lance Boat Seining Federation. The main resource management principles are 1) determination of the opening day of a fishing season; 2) determination of the end of a fishing season; and 3) protection of parent fish. In addition, he mentioned various research projects conducted at a fisheries experiment station. Moreover Counselor Taishi Aisaka of Jusan Fisheries Association touched on corbicula japonica fishing. The current situation of resource management was explained by Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology Professor Kazumi Enomoto and the Japan Fisheries Resource Conservation Association Senior Director Masao Shimomura.

Anne McDonald Speaks

Anne McDonald, Chief of Ishikawa/Kanazawa Operation Unit of the UN University Institute of Advanced Studies, was a keynote lecturer and talked about her view of countries all over the world and fishing communities in Japan. She stated, mentioning a female diver as an example, that “culture plays a significant role in resource management.” She appealed for the importance of the conservation of satoumi (an ecosystem involving the sea and adjacent environment), which is one of the topics of the Aichi-Nagoya COP10 Convention on Biological Diversity in October.

A panel discussion involved Morozaki Chamber of Commerce Bureau Chief Yamashita, Jusan Fisheries Association Counselor Aisaka, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology Professor Enomoto, and the Japan Fisheries Journalists' Association Chairman Yoshito Umezaki. A discussion was carried out under the theme of “Resource Management That Connects Fishery and Dining Table.”

The original article was published on June 16, 2010 and was translated by Kiyo Hayasaka.

Who Purchases Eco-Labeled Products?

June 16, 2010

The convention of the Food System Research Association of Japan took place at Chiba University from June 12-13. In one of the fishery-related individual reports, Takafumi Oishi of Amita Institute for Sustainable Economies Co., Ltd., shared his report titled “Analysis on Consumer Preferences Toward MSC Certified Products: Examples of Kyoto Snow Crab and Red Halibut.” In this report, it was revealed that there are correlations of the various factors, past purchase experience, income, consumer spending pattern, and knowledge in marine products, influencing consumers who choose to purchase MSC-labeled seafood. He asserted that further research, including other types of eco-labels, would be necessary.

Income and Awareness of Stock Management Affect Consumer Purchasing Practices

For analytical data, 200 cases of the questionnaire answered via the Internet by men and women 20 years or older living in Kyoto or Tokyo, were obtained. A survey on consumer awareness and purchasing practices of eco-labeled, including MSC label, products was conducted. 15 percent of those in Kyoto and 8 percent in Tokyo said that they “have bought MSC certified Kyoto snow crab and/or red halibut before.” 80 percent of people in the surveyed cities exhibited a willingness to “purchase certified snow crab and/or red halibut.”

The frequency of purchasing certified snow crab and/or red halibut becomes higher as an income level rises; those who display the deeper consciousness of the world’s diminishing marine resources have a stronger eagerness to seek out certified products.

The original article was published on June 16, 2010 and was translated by Kiyo Hayasaka.

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