Research Project of TEAMS for Restoration of Ecosystems and Human Society

Abstract Excerpt:
The Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami on March 11, 2011, caused immense damage to marine ecosystems, both nearshore and offshore, on the Pacific coast of northeastern Japan (the Tohoku region). Most fishing vessels and fishery related infrastructure were destroyed by the disaster. In the Tohoku region, salmon hatcheries have been common in many rivers, and every year, released chum salmon have returned to their own rivers. When the 2011 disaster occurred, a lot of juvenile chum salmon were reared in the hatcheries before being released into the sea. Therefore, the salmon production cycle in this region was also severely disrupted by the disaster.