Climate change is causing a drastic decline in the populations of some marine species in Japan. According to new reports, catches of species such as the Japanese flying squid and Pacific saury have dropped significantly.
Although saury catches have increased by 36% since their low in 2022, they are still well below previous catch levels because the fish are moving into colder waters outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, where they are heavily fished by countries such as China and Taiwan.
Squid fishermen are also facing low catch levels, with forecasts indicating that catches will continue to be lower than in previous years.
Another challenge facing the Japanese fishing industry is that species such as mackerel and jack mackerel (species of warm water) are migrating to areas where they were rarely seen in previous years. This represents a challenge for the industry, as it will have to adapt to these changes and develop new markets for these species.
Japan's Fisheries Agency has officially linked declining catches to climate change, noting that warming oceans are affecting marine ecosystems and fish migration patterns.