Reinvigorating Japan’s fishery industry, leveraging Yanmar technology and the vitality of private sector
Kunisaki is located on its namesake’s peninsula in Oita prefecture. The area faces the Seto Inland Sea, and its fishing community has long been largely dependent on swordfish, but recently, catches have been much reduced. This has led to a decrease in the fishery employment population, and measures were needed to save the fisheries to the next generation. In the fall of 2012, local fishermen who faced such issues reached Yanmar for consultation. Based on a plan to re-use a vacant aquaculture site, an oyster aquaculture project named Kunisaki Oysters was launched as a collaborative effort involving the local government, a fisheries association, and Yanmar. We aim to improve the Japanese fishing industry through the development of aquaculture and management methods that allow customers to enjoy the firm texture and fresh taste safely.