First of all, let me say that Foodbuzz never asked me for such an article. I just wrote it out of concern for some of my Foodbuzz Friends!
It was Lou-Ann‘s surprise in particular which prompted me into more investigation to back up knowledge acquired trhough many years spent in this great country, Japan.
I use the word “great” for a simple reason:
Japan is the one country which most extensively conducts and sponsors research and development of fish stocks.
This country has also come up with some momentous discoveries related to the fishing environment:
-Japanese fishermen south of Kyushu Island discovered that planting trees on small islands increased manifold the amount of vegetal plankton carried into the surrounding sea resulting in an immediate increase of the fish population.
-Japanese researchers found out that building small pyramids on the sea floor with concrete or plastic (a beneficial dumping at last?) blocks attracted corals, sea anemones, seaweed and shellfish, thus creating a food chain for fish. Such pyramids will surely prove more beneficial to mankind than all the Egyptian pyramids put together!
The Japanese have been (unjustly) accused of emptying the seas. Actually Spain holds the world record for fish catch and consumption.
I already have written an article on whale meat. I find it galling that Japan is still villified for eating whale meat by the very countries which depopulated the globe of sea-mammals in the 19th Century: US, Canada, Russia, Australia and New Zealand (alright, Great Britain for the last two maybe!) in the Pacific Ocean. Us, Canada, Norway, Great Britain, France (my own country!), Spain and Russia in the Atlantic Ocean. And most of them again in the Arctic and Antarctic Oceans. What do you think Commodore Perry was before he was delegated to order Japan to “open its doors”?
This country is repeatedly thrown into the same basket of evils. I was recently “told off” because the Japanese kill sharks for their fins before throwing the dead fish back into the sea. Sorry, mate, but you will have to ask the Chinese! The Japanese eat the whole fish when they catch it.
It could go on and on, but this is not the real purpose of this article.
Now, to illustrate and justify the heading of this posting, here is a list of the fish and seafood raised in Japan as opposed to being caught in the wild:
Blue Fin Tuna/Honmaguro
Yes, you read it, Blue Fin Tuna! After 23 years of experimentation, a Kyushu fishmonger has finally succeeded in producing the fish from natural mating inside giant offshore sea parks. The fish is already sold over the counter at supermarkets.
With a ban on tuna fishing in the Mediterranean Sea being pushed through legislation by the EU, Japan will find itself one day in the rich position of actually exporting tuna!
Big-eyed Tuna/Mebachi Maguro
Human-raising Research is being conducted.
Albacore Tuna: Kihada Maguro
Human-raising Research is being conducted.
Note:
Indian Ocean Tuna/Indo Maguro: Human-raising Research is conducted abroad and such fish are imported to Japan.
Yellowtail/Buri
Over 62,000 tons of human-raised fish consumed last year.
Amberjack/Kanpachi
Over 49,000 tons of human-raised fish consumed last year.
Striped Jack/Shima Aji
Over 3,000 tons of human-raised fish consumed last year.
Horse Mackerel/Ma Aji
Over 3,500 tons of human-raised fish consumed last year.
True Mackerel-Japanese Mackerel/Ma Saba
Human-raising succeeded and fish are already sold over the counter.
True Sardine-Pilchard/Ma Iwashi
Human-raising Research is being conducted.
Isaki/Grouper variety-Parapristipona Trilinoatum
9 tons of human-raised fish consumed in Nagasaki Prefecture alone last year.
Silver Salmon/Gin Sake
Over 8,000 tons of human-raised fish consumed last year.
Porgy/Madai
Over 71,000 tons of human-raised fish consumed last year as opposed to 15,000 tons caught at sea.
Seabass/Suzuki
382 tons tons of human-raised fish consumed in Kagawa Prefecture alone last year.
Sand Borer-Sillago/Kisu
Human-raising Research is being conducted.
Bar-tailed Flathead/Kochi
Human-raising Research is being conducted.
Ainame/Alexagrammos otakii
Human-raising has succeeded and some fish are already sold over the counter.
Kelp Bass/Kue
A success story in Shizuoka and Nagasaki Prefectures where human-raised fish (one of the most expensive until then) are already sold over the counter.
Globefish-Tiger Globefish/Tora Fugu
Over 5,000 tons of human-raised fish consumed last year.
Large Prawn/Kuruma Ebi
Over 1,700 tons of human-raised prawns consumed last year.
Spiny Lobster/Ise Ebi
Human-raising Research is being conducted.
Ark Sheel-Bloody Clam/Akagai
Human-raising Research is being conducted.
Gaper/Mirugai
Human-raising Research is being conducted
Large Cockle/Torigai
Human-raising Research is being conducted
Hard Clam/Hamaguri
Very large amounts of half human-raised shellfish consumed last year.
Surf Clam/Hokkigai
Human-raising Research being conducted
Abalone/ Awabi
32 tons tons of human-raised abalones consumed in Hokkaido and Nagasaki Prefectures alone last year.
Scallops/Hotate
Over 270,000 tons of human-raised scallops consumed last year.
Oysters/Kaki
Over 220,000 tons of human-raised oysters + over 35,000 tons of the same out of the shell consumed last year as opposed to 1,600 tons of wild oysters.
Sea Urchin/Uni
7 tons tons of human-raised sea urchin consumed in Hokkaido Prefecture alone last year.
Conger Eel/ Ma Anago
Human-raising Research is being conducted
Common Eel/Unagi
Over 21,000 tons of human-raised fish consumed last year as opposed to 610 tons caught in the wild.
Oike Conger eel/Hamo
Human-raising Research is being conducted.
The Japanes have also starting research on different varieties of octopus/tako and squids/ika.
That is all for the moment! LOL
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