WAJIMA, Ishikawa Prefecture—Natsuki Kadoki has stuck with her fishing trade as an “ama” skin diver despite years of decreasing resources, pay and colleagues.

But now, an extraordinary new obstacle has been thrown in her way that threatens to wipe out the entire fishing season this summer.

The huge earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula on New Year's Day pushed up the seabed at Wajima Port, making it impossible for fishing boats to leave.

“I’m sure it will be absolutely impossible to fish this summer,” said Kadoki, 43, who is president of a local association that preserves and promotes Wajima-based ama.

About 130 ama divers are based in the city located near the tip of the Noto Peninsula, according to Kadoki.

During the summer, they take boats from Wajima Port in the early morning and travel several dozen kilometers north to waters off Hegurajima and Nanatsujima islands.

Wearing a wetsuit, mask and flippers, they take a deep breath and dive more than 10 meters deep.

They often see schools of sardines pass over their heads or “ishidai” (striped beakfish) and “hiramasa” (yellowtail amberjack) swimming in front of them.

However, the ama’s eyes are fixed on rocky areas and boulders for turban shells and abalone.

While holding their breath for about 90 seconds, they collect up to 10 mollusks before rising to the surface.

Many ama work in pairs and take turns fishing from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Older ama may require a cane to walk on land, but they can swim smoothly in the water.

The central government designated the ama fishing method in Wajima as an important intangible folk cultural property in 2018.

About 200 boats were lined up at the port when Kadoki visited there on Feb. 13.

The entire seabed at the port was pushed up by 1.5 to 2 meters, and at least one boat was stranded on the new land.

Kadoki’s fishing boat, the Nanatsumaru, was still floating. But if it tried to leave the port, it would scratch the seafloor because the water is only about 70 centimeters deep in some spots.

Her home near the port was severely damaged in the earthquake, and she decided to have it dismantled. She was made homeless and unable to go to work.

“But I haven’t given up yet,” she said. “I want to see my fishing ground as early as possible because the seabed topography might have changed.”

Kadoki was born in a neighborhood near the port and grew up on Hegurajima island.

Her great-grandmother, grandmother and mother were all ama. Naturally, Kadoki took up diving when she was a child.

“Only a generation ago, many people became ama soon after graduating from junior high school,” she said.

But many challenges face the current crop of divers.

“Kajime” and other seaweed species on which abalone and turban shells feed are disappearing in the area, leading to fewer mollusks to catch.

Attempts have been made to increase their populations, including releasing young shells and eradicating sea urchins that prey on the seaweed.

The measures, unfortunately, have not been very effective.

The decrease in earnings has also led to a labor shortage in the ama industry.

The number of ama was about 240 in fiscal 1998, but the figure has fallen by about 100 over the past 25 years.

Currently, only a few divers are between 20 and 39 years old. Most are in their 40s through 80s.

“I’m afraid many ama will have retired by the time they can resume fishing,” said Takayuki Hashimoto, 43, a gillnet fisherman who serves as a boatman for ama during the summer. “I don’t know when we can fish again. We have no future prospects.”

His wife, Satomi, 43, a skin diver who is vice president of the local ama association, said she was frustrated by just having to wait for the port to be restored.

“Neither fishermen nor ama can work. I don’t know what to do now, so I just stay at home,” she said.

Dredging work started on Feb. 16 to restore the functions at Wajima Port.

“Reconstruction truly begins after we dredge and build a temporary port,” said Toshihiko Kamihama, a senior official at the Wajima branch of the prefectural fisheries cooperative association.

“Refrigerators are broken and no ice is available at the port. We can’t even refuel the boats,” he said. “It will take considerable time before we can resume fishing in a decent manner.”