Photo/Illutration Akira Urabe checks the screen of a fishing forecast app in the cockpit of his boat on Sept. 11, 2024, off the coast of Munakata, Fukuoka Prefecture. (Kenta Iijima)

MUNAKATA, Fukuoka Prefecture--Physical labor and traditional practices, long the hallmarks of coastal fishing operations in Japan, are falling by the wayside as the industry undergoes a sea change.  

The transformation came about through the integration of advanced information technology at a time of chronic labor shortages. The shift toward “smart fisheries” offers a pathway to improved efficiency and sustainability.

Akira Urabe begins his day before dawn by launching an app on his smartphone, which displays a map of his home waters off the northern coast of the prefecture.

The app forecasts sea conditions including water temperature, current direction and speed, and salinity.

“I check the tide flow where fish are likely to be, then decide on the day’s fishing spot,” said Urabe, 49.

The information displayed on the app is calculated by supercomputers at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, based on sea water data gathered by local fishermen like Urabe.

Urabe typically fishes in waters 15 kilometers offshore, in depths of 20 to 60 meters, by dragging a net behind the boat.

To collect data, Urabe attaches a cylindrical measuring device to the rope when he releases the net into the sea.

The device stays underwater for 25 minutes at a time, collecting data while Urabe is working on the deck.

This data is automatically transmitted to the supercomputers via mobile devices.

“All I have to do is turn on the device and attach it to the rope. It’s simple and easy,” Urabe said.

The continuous collection of data improves the accuracy of future forecasts, making the fishing operations more efficient.

Urabe, who has been a fisherman for over 30 years, initially relied on experience and intuition to determine the best fishing spots, often using a fishing line thrown in the water to check tidal direction.

However, the app has revolutionized his work, making it easier to locate fish and saving travel time and fuel.

According to the Munakata fisheries cooperative, the introduction of the app has led to a 14 percent reduction in fuel consumption for boats engaged in longline fishing.

On a typical two-day operation, crews now enjoy two extra hours of rest and return home three hours earlier.

The prefecture kicked off the project in fiscal 2017, and around 40 vessels are currently involved in data collection.

A local official expressed hope that the technological advancements would help attract and retain more workers in the fishing industry.

COAL MINING TO AQUACULTURE

Cutting-edge science and technology are also playing a growing role in other parts of the fishing industry.

An experimental project on Takashima island in Nagasaki Prefecture aims to optimize yellowtail farming based on the latest research.

By studying the effects of different colored LED lights on fish growth, researchers hope to create a more efficient and sustainable aquaculture system.

This could lead to higher quality fish and increased exports.

“If we can identify the optimal light color for fish growth, we can determine the appropriate amount of feed to provide, leading to more efficient aquaculture,” said Kiyoshi Soyano, a professor of fishery science at Nagasaki University, who manages the project.

The project has the potential to revive the depopulated small island that once contributed to the nation’s industrialization through a thriving coal industry.

Technological innovations like those in Munakata and Takashima are emerging across the Kyushu region.

The advent of smart fisheries coincides with a sharp decline in the number of fishermen.

According to the fisheries ministry, the number of fishery workers nationwide has been steadily decreasing from 626,000 in 1963 to 121,000 in 2023, or less than one-fifth of the number six decades ago.

Moreover, the remaining workforce is aging.

Those aged 65 and over accounted for 37.7 percent of all fishery workers in 2022, according to the ministry’s fisheries white paper.

Output has also declined significantly, falling from a peak of 12.82 million tons in 1984 to 3.92 million tons in 2022.

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