Several years of poor saury catches have tempered expectations for this season, which got into full swing as a fleet of large fishing boats left Japan for waters in the northern Pacific.
Twenty vessels departed Hanasaki Port in Nemuro City, on the island of Hokkaido, early on Saturday, the first day when boats with a tonnage of 100 or more are allowed to fish. Hanasaki Port has brought in Japan’s largest saury haul for the past 12 years running.
But those hauls have been increasingly dismal in recent years, dropping to an all-time low in 2021. This season’s catch is expected to be marginally better.
One of the smaller boats that were allowed to start fishing on August 10 has brought back just 260 kilograms of saury.
The bigger boats will head to the high seas in search of the most bountiful fishing grounds, despite rising fuel costs. Compounding the problem, they may be forced to detour around waters that Russia claims to be part of its exclusive economic zone due to deteriorating ties between Japan and Russia.
One 26-year-old crew member said he simply hopes this season’s catch is bigger than last year’s, and that the operation proceeds safely.
The bigger boats hope to bring back their first catch by the end of August.
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