Kushiro Port reports zero sardine landings despite peak season

Kushiro Port in Hokkaido is experiencing a total absence of Japanese sardine landings, despite being three months past the lifting of the fishing ban. Historically, September marks the peak season when over 20 fleets gather at the port, but no fishing fleets have arrived this year.

According to the Hokkaido Ring Seine Fisheries Association, search efforts by fleets from Tottori and Niigata in June and July failed to locate fish stocks. Local tuna fishermen have also noted a lack of sardines, observing that anchovies are currently the primary prey for tuna instead.

The Fisheries Research and Development Agency attributes the shortage to low water temperatures in the waters off eastern Hokkaido, which has delayed the formation of fishing grounds and resulted in fewer visiting individuals. This lack of catch is beginning to impact the regional economy, as sardines were a primary species that drove Kushiro Port to become the top landing site in Japan during 2023 and 2024.