A defining characteristic of Japan's seafood consumption, which underpins traditional dietary cultures of the Japanese (Washoku), is the “diversity” cultivated through a long history of fully utilizing the vast array of seafood available across different regions and seasons. Sushi exemplifies this diversity through the simultaneous use of a variety of seafood. However, the fisheries production in Japan is facing an ongoing decline. The pronounced aging and depopulation of communities reliant on the fishing industry and decreasing fishery workers are of great concern. The fisheries sector continues to be perceived as emblematic of the so-called “3D industries”—dirty, dangerous, and demanding—leading to a scarcity of young workers.
A fundamental transformation of the fisheries sector is required to secure sustainable and stable seafood production. Considering the global trends, further development of Japan's aquaculture sector appears to be a viable option. However, given the Japanese consumer's traditional preference for a wide variety of seafood, adopting the “single-species mass production” model exemplified by Norway's salmon industry would not suffice. Japan must also promote “multi-species, small-lot aquaculture” to preserve the diversity of its seafood offerings. While single-species mass production offers cost advantages and competitive pricing, the establishment of economically viable multi-species, small-lot aquaculture will require innovative solutions, such as the development of highly efficient rearing technologies that reduce production costs, the cultivation of high-value-added species, and vertical integration of production, processing, and sales. Though this is an extraordinarily challenging task—easier said than done—it is nevertheless a critical mission for ensuring the sustainability of Japan's seafood production and preserving the country's world-renowned Washoku culture.
With the future development of Japan's aquaculture industry in mind, this special issue titled “Current Status and Challenges of Aquatic Food Production” presents expert contributions on several critical topics: challenges toward sustainable aquaculture production through resource recycling and interdisciplinary collaboration, efforts toward the complete aquaculture of eel, marine fish farming utilizing underground seawater, applications of genome editing technologies as a challenge for the future, and current and future perspectives on protein and lipid sources for aquaculture feed. Each contribution captures the unique characteristics of the Japanese aquaculture industry and provides concise summaries of current conditions and challenges for the future. This preface hopes that this special issue will offer valuable insights and contribute, even if in some small measure, to the future advancement of Japan's aquaculture industry.
抄録全体を表示