Labor Shortages and Policy to Secure Human Resources in Fishery

Thinking about the Future of Fishery Increasingly Dependent on Foreign Workers

Abstract

We confirmed the shortage of youths and licensed mariners in fishing boat fishery against the background realities of fishing villages and fishery. We indicated that fishing villages suffering from continuing depopulation and aging are losing their abilities due to the outflow of young workers, and that fishery managements depend on foreign workers to reduce labor cost and secure a young and stable labor force. We indicated that the shortage of licensed mariners is due to this dependence on foreigners, and that it also affects the maintenance of equipment and the inheritance of skills. Based on these findings, we mentioned the necessity to improve work environments and to construct a sustainable industrial structure in fishery from the viewpoint of employed workers.