GEOGRAPHICAL SCIENCES

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Nori cultivation in Hyogo Prefecture developed in the 1970s with the introduction of new aquaculture techniques from other prefectures. In particular, floating drift culture and frozen net technology led to an increase in the area and duration of cultivation. Laver in Hyogo Prefecture grown in the Harimanada Sea, where the currents are fast, and produced by floating drift culture, which is less susceptible to drying out, is characterized by its hard texture and black color. These characteristics match the commercial demand that grew in the 1990s, and the area has grown to become one of Japan's leading producers of laver. On the other hand, changes in the sea environment became apparent at the same time. Among these, ocean warming, which shortens the cultivation period, and oligotrophication, which causes color fading, have become major problems. Producers have responded to these changes by modifying their conventional activities. In human geography, there is a growing interest in the impact of environmental problems on labor in recent years. The examination of fishermen's responses in relation to the natural, economic, and social environment surrounding them, as practiced by Japanese fisheries geography, is an important methodology for examining the relationship between human beings and environmental problems. Even in the aquaculture industry, where the focus is often on managerial aspects, it is highly significant to pay attention to the relationship between the fishing ground environment and production activities.

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