Oka Ryoshi Kumiai project leads conversation about fisheries industry, ocean problems

In recent years, the sustainability of the abundance of the sea has become a pressing concern in the world. For example, there are a wide range of problems, such as marine pollution caused by industrial and domestic wastewater, resource depletion and the deterioration of ecosystem balance due to overfishing (*1). Also, in the fisheries industry, there is a structural problem where certain types of fish, which are challenging for regular consumers to prepare, and fish that do not meet standard size requirements are often discarded.

Many people living in urban areas eat fish. However, for those who are not familiar with the sea or fishing, there are not many opportunities to understanding these issues directly. For this interview, we spoke with Takefumi Mizutani, the founder of the Oka Ryoshi Kumiai (Fishermen’s Association). The association has created a platform to educate people about the realities and challenges of the fisheries industry, including those who are not familiar with it. They are also actively working on addressing ocean problems through various initiatives.

Interviewee Profile: Takefumi Mizutani

Representative Director of On-Co Co., Ltd. Born in 1988 in Kuwana City, Mie Prefecture. Since high school, he has been involved in revitalizing shopping streets and planning food and music events. He worked in the family landscaping business and acquired design, construction and management skills. At the same time, he runs shared houses and restaurants that make use of vacant homes. Alongside his work in life design and community building, he has initiated a project that highlights the unique features of both urban and depopulated areas. Specifically, he aims to promote self-sufficiency in mountain and fishing villages. His ultimate goal is to create a society where individuals can freely experiment and make mistakes without fear of judgment. To achieve this, he is continuously conducting demonstration experiments.

Thinking about sea issues together

Mizutani, who has been close with the fishermen for a while, said that he had many opportunities to ask them about the challenges of the sea.

Mizutani: I have learned a lot about the challenges facing the ocean through my interactions with fishermen, but I can’t fish and handle fish, so I was worried about being too knowledgeable but not having the necessary hands-on experience. However, I came to think that it might be a necessary element to solve the ocean problems because I can think from multiple angles. Then, I started the project ‘Oka Ryoshi Kumiai’ based on the concept of thinking about the sea from the hillside (Oka in Japanese), inspired by the ‘hill surfer’ who is dressed as a surfer but does not actually surf.

The ocean issues are not just for fishermen, Mizutani felt. So, he has been involved in various activities, such as going fishing with fishermen and cleaning fish. In January 2022, when a submarine volcano erupted in the Kingdom of Tonga, there were excessive reports of catastrophic damage to Japanese fishing (*2). Despite the fact that Japanese oysters could still safely be eaten, the news reported that “Toba oysters cannot be caught.”

Therefore, Mizutani and his colleagues combined the idea of “ochinai” oysters that stick firmly to rocks and do not fall off, playing with the idea of “not failing the exam (ochinai)” during school entrance exams. They combined the unique feature of these oysters with the idea of succeeding (not failing) during entrance exams. This led to the creation of a catchy marketing campaign that appealed to a broader audience to increase the consumption and recover from the decline in sales following the misleading Tonga reporting.

Mizutani: I hope that we will be able to convey the ocean problems, lightening the workload somewhat for these busy fishermen. We often hear the voices of fishermen saying, “Fish stocks are decreasing so much that we can no longer eat it in the future,” but consumers are unaware of this fact. To address this situation, I believe we need to take initiative and involve a diverse group of people in the planning of projects such as ‘Ochinai Kaki.’

Efforts for unutilized and low-use fish

In addition, the Oka Ryoshi Kumiai is focusing on the utilization of unused and low-use fish (*3), which are difficult to use in home cooking. Their activities, such as developing a low-use fish menu with “FabCafe Nagoya,” are raising awareness of the problem to many people.

In fact, it is said that about 30% to 40% of the total catches, including sea and inland fisheries, are discarded as unused fish for reasons such as not being valued in the market. Discarding unused fish not only leads to food waste but also reduces profits for fishing workers. Mizutani and his colleagues took action by promoting the use of unused fish to prevent food waste and securing profits for fishermen. This initiative helps to address overfishing and promote sustainable fisheries.

Mizutani: There are many fish that are not distributed in the market and are only eaten by local people. The price of fish fluctuates because the size of the fish is too small or too big and out of standard, and then fish that cannot be priced are thrown away.

Mizutani: The amount of catches itself is also decreasing, and even if they go fishing and 70% of the catch is unsold, they will go fishing again. Most of the unsold fish are discarded or used as food for fish, which is hard on the fishermen and a lot of resources are lost. Therefore, we are trying to get restaurants to understand this situation and distribute unused fish.

Make opportunities for more people to learn about the sea culture

Until now, the Oka Ryoshi Kumiai has been working on ocean-related issues, but in the future, Mizutani envisions expanding the organization’s reach to involve more individuals and promote the sea culture.

Mizutani: I would like to offer many tours organized by Oka Ryoshi Kumiai. As an example, I previously led a group of high school students on an excursion to a fishing village to gain insight into local concerns. I would like to expand such visits to attract more visitors to these unique locations. By going to the local area, we can gain a clearer understanding of ocean problems, and our communication with the local residents can also be improved. It’s exactly like increasing the number of fans who feel a personal connection to that area.

Mizutani is contemplating how to address not only these ocean-related issues, but also how to preserve Japanese cultures as a whole.

Mizutani: I think that the loss of the collective wisdom and culture of the sea through Japanese folklore means the disappearance of Japanese culture itself. Under such circumstances, it is our role to undertake initiatives that have not been attempted before. I’m not a fishery expert, but I think the biggest issue is that people don’t know about ocean problems. Because there are few people who are actively communicating this situation, we would like to increase the number of individuals engaged in sea-related activities through our initiatives.

Editor’s Note

Although Japan is surrounded by the sea on all sides, some of us may not have many opportunities to be conscious of it. Therefore, even when we hear about problems affecting the ocean, we may not have a concrete image in our minds. This situation can be seen not only in the ocean, but also in nature itself, such as forests, mountains and rivers. The message of environmental protection is usually disseminated through various forms of media, but it can be challenging to grasp the actual state of affairs if one lives in the city.

That is why it is also important to create opportunities to visit these sites and experience nature with all five senses rather than solely trying to understand it through abstract intellectual means. Through the efforts of the Oka Ryoshi Kumiai, the gap between us and the sea can be bridged, enabling us to witness firsthand the actual nature of the ocean issues that can only be fully understood on location.

(*1) Marine Biodiversity Conservation Strategy of Japan, Ministry of the Environment, Official Website “What is the blessing of the sea?: Factors that damage the blessing of the sea”

(*2) What can we do for Tonga submarine eruption? Summary of fundraising destinations and support groups | IDEAS FOR GOOD

(*3) The circle of amateur professionals who tackle the ocean problems expanded by Oka Ryoshi Kumiai – “FabCafe Nagoya” has developed a low-use fish menu

Originally published on IDEAS FOR GOOD.
Translated by Mari Kozawa.