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Japanese aquaculture start-up eyes onshore mackerel farm Fukushima

A newly-formed Japanese aquaculture company announced that it is now close to commencing construction of its closed loop, onshore fish production facility in a town located in a prefecture which was the site of a nuclear disaster in 2011.

The Kamome Mirai Fisheries Company, reported this week that tests in had been carrying out since last year at an onshore aquaculture facility in Okayama Prefecture. Data and findings obtained from the test will be used in the construction of an aquaculture facility in the town of Namie, in the Fukushima Prefecture.

The main shareholders of  Kamome Mirai Fisheries Company are JGC Corporation, a global engineering and construction company based in Yokohama, and Iwaki Fisheries Company, headquartered Fukushima.

“JGC Corporation has been conducting test production of fish at a closed-cycle onshore aquaculture facility in Okayama Prefecture since 2021, and has accumulated aquaculture know-how,” a press release from Kanome said. “Based on these results, by the winter of 2022 the newly established company is beginning construction of a plant equipped with an integrated environmental management system in Namie Town, Fukushima Prefecture, which will demonstrate the optimal combination of environment and equipment that will enable stable fish production.”

The plant will begin full-scale production in 2024. Kanome plans to raise mackerel, which is in high demand. The company also plans to grow other species depending on the needs of companies and local governments.

“In this project, we are trying to explore new possibilities to revitalize the local industry in cooperation with Iwaki Fisheries Company (President: Kenji Suzuki; headquartered in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture) which has been working to promote the project and will become a partner in the joint promotion of the project,” the press release said.

The town of Namie was evacutated in 2011 as a result of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. 

The town is directly downwide of the Fukushima Daichi nuclear power plant, which suffered major damage due to a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami which hit Japan on March 11, 2011.

Major clean-up operations were conducted. Namie’s business district and the town has since reopened.

Earlier this week , it was reported that Japan’s nuclear regulator has allowed the wrecked nuclear plant to release its treated nuclear waste water to the sea. According to authorities the method of water release were safe and posed minimal risk to the environment.