The integration of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) into coastal fisheries has prompted an examination of the policy challenges for smart fisheries. In this study we address the characteristics of technological development in coastal fisheries and identify key policy challenges including fostering customizers that customize the ICT material into fishery production goods and establish a business ecosystem that can support the coastal fishing industry, through product development and supply chain management.

The Fisheries Agency uses ICT to collect information on fishing activities and fishing ground environments to promote appropriate resource assessment and management. We are promoting a “smart fishery” that improves the quality of life. In order to promote DX （Digital Transformation） in the fisheries industry, smart fisheries using ICT have started all over the country. In this report, as support for marine aquaculture, we will introduce two examples of working on predictions: 1） the development of technology for automatically feeding red sea bream and yellowtail based on the activity status of fish using AI, 2） the visualization and estimation of net entry conditions in set nets using oceanographic information and underwater cameras.

In the southern part of Mie Prefecture, where fishing is the main industry, population decline and the outflow of young people to the cities are conspicuous, and depopulation is accelerating. The problem of lack of successors and workers in fishing villages is linked not only to industrial problems in local fishing villages, but also to problems faced by the entire region, so it will have a great impact on the continuation of fishing in the future. . In order to solve these problems or improve the current situation, it is considered that the utilization of IT, AI, and DX will become essential in the future.

This article describes development of vertical integration and digital transformation （DX） in our operation. Our company started initially as a retailer of local fisheries products and later developed vertically integrated operation in response to oligopolic market and downsized production sector. In present we produce 9,700t of finfish by aquaculture annually in a total of 8 locations and operate two fishing vessels for tuna longline. The fishes are processed and assembled to meet market demands efficiently by introduction of DX. DX is also employed in the production sites for automated feeding and environmental monitoring. With these operation we are trying to construct producer-led value chain for global market and sustainability.

Distribution of illegally caught or gathered abalone, sea cucumber, and eel fry, and their processed products, which are recognized to be under significant risk of illegal and excessive catching or gathering in Japan, shall be prevented by requiring proper catchers or gatherers of those species to provide a catch number, requiring the catchers or gatherers and all business operators handling those products to inform the catch number among them, to make and keep transaction records, and to attach a legal catch certificate to the product at the time of export.

As well, mackerel, Pacific saury, sardine, and squid and cuttlefish and their processed products shall not be imported into Japan without a catch certificate issued by a foreign government agency and other documents which certify that they were caught or gathered legitimately, and thereby to prevent distribution of fish or fishery products which were originated from catches by illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and contribute to the global efforts to combat IUU fishing.

The 64th Symposium was held with a focus on “Advances in Science and Technology and Fishery Development.” The presenters reported on the current status and challenges of IT & ICT technologies in the fisheries sector. This paper summarizes the symposium reports, comments and discussion.