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Ocean warming has been affecting marine ecosystems over the past few decades. The signature of ocean warming in global fisheries catch data has been identified through a variety of methods, one of which is the mean temperature of the catch (MTC) index. The MTC is derived from the average temperature preference of fished species weighted by their contribution to annual catches. Here, we used MTC to explore the fisheries catch responses to warming, from 1950 to 2016, along a latitudinal gradient in the western Pacific Ocean, from 37° N, via 2.5° S in the central western Pacific, to 36° S. The tropicalization of catches in a given geographic space, i.e., the increased catch of species with affinity to warmer waters, as a result of increasing sea temperature and the associated poleward migration of species, rather than any large-scale oceanographic variability, was apparent through the increasing MTC at higher latitudes. In particular, MTC in temperate Japan increased by 0.33 °C per decade over the time series. The MTC in subtropical/temperate southeast Australia increased by 0.24 °C per decade over the full time period and by 1.24 °C per decade after 2002. The observed MTC increase was caused by the increasing dominance of thermophilous (preferring warmer waters) over psychrophilous (preferring cooler waters) taxa in the catches in these waters. On the other hand, the MTC in tropical Indonesian waters, as well as the ratio of thermophilous to psychrophilous taxa, showed a gentle yet consistent decrease of 0.05 °C per decade over the full time period. This finding supports the tropicalization hypothesis, given the limited scope for further tropicalization of catches in the already tropical ecosystem of Indonesia. Ocean warming has indeed been altering the distribution of marine organisms, particularly in temperate ecosystems as thermophilous taxa become more abundant, while psychrophilous taxa abundance decreases. Tropicalization impacts fisheries and catch composition and is, therefore, expected to cause conflicts among fishers and challenge fisheries management.

Climate change is projected to have large impacts on natural capital and ecosystem services under scenarios of the IPCC. In the summer of 2016, elevated seawater temperatures triggered mass coral bleaching in Sekisei Lagoon, southern Japan. Based on data from field surveys and relevant websites, we mapped potential stocks of four major ecosystem services (fisheries production, aquarium fish production, recreational diving, and seaweed control) supplied by coral reef fishes before and after the bleaching event and predicted the possible future state of socio-ecological systems in the lagoon under climate change. We also evaluated whether current management options had mitigated the negative effects of extreme heating and coral bleaching on the potential stocks. Before the coral bleaching, the potential stock of recreational diving was estimated as 41.44 billion Japanese yen per year for the entire lagoon, while those of fisheries and aquarium fish productions were 2.10 billion and 15.03 billion yen, respectively. After bleaching, the four potential stocks including seaweed control decreased. The marine park zone and the extermination area of crown of thorns starfish mitigated changes in fish species richness and the value of recreational diving following coral bleaching. Extreme heating and coral bleaching are considered to be representative of a possible future state under global warming, and the results suggest that even management for local disturbances can mitigate the interactive effect of climate change on the potential stocks. Additional integrative management accounting for climate change and local stressors would be necessary for protecting ecosystem services in Sekisei Lagoon.

Like many other countries, the economy and society of Japan have been deeply affected by the Covid-19 outbreak, and the fishery sector is no exception. This study takes an interdisciplinary approach to analyze the economic and social impacts of the pandemic on Japanese fisheries, gauging the extent and nature of the damages incurred from Covid-19 while helping to provide tailored post-recovery recommendations for the industry. Using results from an online survey questionnaire (N = 429) and compiling additional economic information from public sources, this study revealed the overwhelmingly negative changes in sales figures and overall financial security that survey participants experienced when compared to a year earlier. High-value and fresh fish species were also significantly affected in 2020 across Japan, in line with similar trends across the developed world. Aquaculture businesses were shown to be more vulnerable to the spread of Covid-19 than small-scale fishing operations, which tend to be more diverse and flexible. Bonding social capital was also shown to be important for mutual help and human well-being, especially among small-scale fishers. This "customary nature" of Japanese fisheries, at the same time, can be seen as a barrier to the transformation of the industry. Given these results, several policy implications are discussed to help fisheries stakeholders and their communities build back better from the Covid-19 pandemic.

To address the complex and difficult challenges that are occurring in complex social-ecological systems, a transformation toward sustainable futures is required. Understanding the characteristics and functions of leverage points (LPs), which bring about significant changes in complex systems, will greatly contribute to the various practices toward achieving sustainable futures. We conducted a detailed analysis of 15 cases of autonomous innovations emerging among vulnerable sectors in six countries to contribute to understanding the mechanisms of transformation of social-ecological systems by identifying the characteristics and functions of LPs. We found that three types of LPs with different characteristics play their roles in a multi-layered and interrelated manner in the emergence processes of autonomous innovations. These LPs contributed to the improvement of various aspects of well-being and facilitated the transformation of the social-ecological systems by enhancing the five previously proposed enabler categories. The multi-layered and interrelated functioning of LPs promotes the enhancement of various aspects of human well-being and strengthens the enabler categories. These were found to be important mechanisms for the transformation of social-ecological systems. Based on these results, we derive nine guiding principles for the conditions and mechanisms of transformation. These results indicate that a deeper study of autonomous innovation through an LP lens could make a significant contribution to solving or mitigating the wicked problems faced by humanity.

Shiretoko was inscribed as a Natural World Heritage site in 2005. It has an outstanding universal value as a connection between the terrestrial and marine ecosystems. However, coastal fisheries are operated throughout the area, and it was required that the protection of the area was strengthened during the nomination process. World Heritage areas are protected by the national laws of each country and are not under international control. Japanese coastal fisheries are based on comanagement of fisheries cooperative associations (FCA) aiming at sustainable fisheries. The fishers expanded the seasonal fishing-ban areas of walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus), and Shiretoko became a World Heritage Site. In this way, Shiretoko became a case of a new world heritage, where the protection of nature was not guaranteed by the government but rather the initiative of the local stakeholders to protect it. Unlike other chapters, this chapter does not include explanation of mathematical techniques for ecological risk management. We discuss the importance of comanagement and decision-making by the local stakeholders in ecological risk management.

The concept of human well-being and its relation to ecosystem services has been defined by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA). To visualize the structure of human well-being related to ecosystem services in coastal areas, and to make an international comparison of these structures, this study investigated the satisfaction level of human well-being by using questionnaire survey, and the interactions among these components in the coastal areas of the six countries (Canada, China, Japan, Korea, Russia, and the US). The questionnaire items were selected according to the components of human well-being as defined by MEA. The analysis suggested a common hierarchical structure. Findings suggest the levels of satisfaction with ‘Security’ and ‘Basic materials for a good life’ functioned as the most fundamental variables among the five components of human well-being, while ‘Health’ and ‘Good social relations’ functioned as mediating variables of ‘Freedom of choice and action’. The degree of interaction among the five components varied by country. In Canada and Russia, satisfaction with ‘Security’ had a more significant effect on ‘Health’ and ‘Good social relations’ than did ‘Basic materials for a good life.’ In the other countries, satisfaction with ‘Basic materials for a good life’ had a more significant effect on ‘Health’ and ‘Good social relations’ than did ‘Security’. This study suggests that the structure of human well-being is dependent upon a range of natural and social factors. Knowledge of the differences which occurs across nations will be significant in establishing societal goals, and for societal engagement in marine conservation policy.

In spite of the growing attention towards the overall quality of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), most empirical studies so far have narrowly focused their assessments on specific natural or social features and governing structures. In response, this study analyzed multi-use MPAs in the eelgrass restoration site in Hinase, Okayama, Japan in their environmental, economic and social dimensions. Considering changes in time and space as well as internal and external influences, the study faced many difficulties in dealing with the dynamics of MPA environments. At the same time, it showed clearly the control over development and fishery activities by several MPA relevant regulations, improvements of the ecological function by the regrowth of eelgrass, an increase in some fish species due to the same regrowth, and expansion of social networks deriving from the restoration activity. The study also revealed convincing evidence that self-motivated MPA management practice by fishers under the Territorial Use Rights for Fisheries (TURFs), in conjunction with other mixed management systems such as Satoumi, could lead to flexible and long-term efforts for improving food security, livelihoods, and the marine environment. This study highlights the importance of comprehensive research to deepen the understanding of the structure and functions of complex and diverse marine ecosystems and social systems.

International audience; Harmonizing coastal fisheries with water-quality improvement has become an essential factor for the sustainable use of coastal ecosystem services. Here, we present the scope of our study based on an interdisciplinary approach including ecological actions, socio-economic actions and socio-psychological actions. We chose to focus on the interaction between oyster aquaculture and seagrass vegetation as a typical ecological action using the coastal ecosystem complex (CEC) concept. Coastal organisms have adapted their traits to the environment over a long period of time, so that restoration of the CEC represents reconstruction of the original process of coastal production. Subtidal seagrass vegetation with intertidal oyster reefs is the original CEC in Japan, which would be expected to enhance coastal production by improving the production efficiency without adding nutrients. A simple field experiment examining carbon and nitrogen contents and stable isotope ratios revealed that oyster spats cultivated on a tidal flat adjacent to seagrass beds had higher nitrogen contents and higher delta C-13 ratios than spats cultivated in an offshore area using only pelagic production. This result suggests that utilization of the CEC, which enables oysters to use both pelagic and benthic production, has potential to sustain a food provisioning service for humans, even in oligotrophic conditions.

The expanding economical activities have accelerated losses of biodiversity and ecosystem services, which are especially pronounced in Asia. To find solutions to stop these losses, a group of scientists studying both ecological and social sciences has launched an interdisciplinary research network, entitled TSUNAGARI (Trans‐System, UNified Approach for Global and Regional Integration of social‐ecological study toward sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystem services). The project is based on two main perspectives: (1) integrating different disciplines of environmental research across multiple spatial scales, and (2) evaluating the importance of ecosystem connectivity between land and ocean for biodiversity and ecosystem services. The integrative studies have been started as follows: (1) integrating global‐scale analyses of biodiversity and economy by developing GIS‐based footprint analysis, (2) establishing the link between the studies of local good practices of ecosystem management and life cycle assessment on ecosystem good and services, (3) linking local‐scale ecosystem studies to decision making processes for sustainable society by multiple stakeholders, and (4) upscaling local analyses of ecosystem processes to broad‐scale analyses of ecosystem patterns. The proposed approaches are considered effective to solve problems that impede conservation of biodiversity and sustainable use of multiple ecosystem services in various situations although we also find some gaps such as regional biases in biodiversity data and involvement of different types of stakeholders. By overcoming the major bottlenecks, we believe the new integrated approaches will promote conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity and ecosystem services research, and contribute to advance decision‐making processes from local communities to international levels. This is the peer reviewed version of an article, which has been published in final form at [http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11284-017-1534-4]. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.

Declines in landings of the hairtail Trichiurus japonicas indicate the need for more effective management of this species. Hairtail spawning peaks occur twice yearly in the Bungo Channel, in spring and autumn. Relationships between hairtail stock and brood seasonality were examined to determine if an association between either and a decline in landings existed. Stock assessments show that the biomass of both spring and autumn hairtail broods from within and around the Bungo Channel are decreasing, with a rapid reduction in spring-brood stock abundance after 2007 largely responsible for decreased landings. Yield and spawning per recruitment analyses indicate current fishing pressure to be higher than several reference points. We suggest that fishing pressure needs to be reduced by at least 20% of the current level for this fishery to remain sustainable, as the projected stock abundance and catch demonstrate that the current fishing pressure is unsustainable. Analysis of time-series data of recruits per spawning revealed spring-brood recruitment to have been strong in year classes 2003 and 2005. Of various options available for improved management of this fishery, we propose that fishing pressure should be reduced in the years following the appearance of strong year classes to increase future biomasses and landings.

Under the coastal fisheries co-management regime in Japan, local fishers play important roles in deciding on and implementing local management measures. Therefore, using the case study of a hairtail trolling line fishery, we conducted a transdisciplinary research with fishers, processors, government officers, etc. Taking social and biological factors into account, we defined management criteria and targets (resource, economic, human community, and local food culture) in collaboration with local fishers. We chartered local fishing vessels to determine parameters that were easily understood by local fishers. We established a local consultative committee comprising fishers, processors, and distributors, and developed a fish distribution strategy to nurture the local hairtail food culture. The integrated effects of various management scenarios were evaluated by the operating model. We found that co-ordinated management by both the trolling line fishery and purse seiners in the neighbouring prefecture was required to achieve targets. Two realistic scenarios are recommended: a conservative scenario that could achieve targets even with few strong year classes, and an adaptive scenario that protects strong year classes, but relies on a higher frequency of these. We shared these results with the local fishers and government officers, which led to actual improvements in management measures.

Overfishing has reduced the stock of hairtail Trichiurus japonicus around the Bungo Channel, Japan. To determine whether using larger bait in the trolling line fishery could avoid catching small/undersize hairtail, we developed and trialled a new large artificial bait (a soft plastic bait, 6 inches long). A traditional lure with natural bait (type-1), a new lure of the new artificial bait hook without natural bait (type-2), and a new lure with natural bait (type-3) were tested in fishing operations around the Bungo Channel. Compared with type-1, type-2 and type-3 caught fewer undersized and immature female individuals. The number of fish caught, yield, and composition of commercial size grades per recruitment were calculated from field data for each lure and compared. The catch sizes (number of fish per recruitment) were smaller for type-2 and type-3 than for type-1, but yield per recruitment was higher for type-3 than for type-1. Compared with type-1, type-2 and type-3 caught more large individuals, which are more valuable. The newly developed artificial bait conserves hairtail stocks by targeting larger fish, which is economically beneficial for the hairtail trolling line fishery.

Using a case of the Sekisei Lagoon, Okinawa Prefecture, the southeastern tip of Japanese archipelago, this chapter discussed the interrelationships among the sectoral policy interventions by various marine-related ministries, and the whole structure of the integrated ocean policy. First, we developed the Social-Ecological Systems (SES) Schematic, which summarized the main ecosystem structures, functions, use types, and the stakeholders relating to the Sekisei Lagoon. Then, sectoral policy interventions by various ministries were overlaid onto the SES schematic to graphically show their interrelationships. We found that the ecosystem structure and functions used by one sector is closely connected to other structures and functions, which are then used by other sectors. In other words, all the stakeholders in the social system are closely interlinked at the ecological system level. Secondly, all in all, sectoral policy interventions by various ministries are covering almost all part of the Sekisei Lagoon SES, and therefore, the total coordination of the sectoral policy interventions and the creation of the synergy effects are required. In this process, the cabinet office and the local government will play the important roles. Finally, this SES schematic can be used as a boundary object to facilitate the knowledge exchanges among various stakeholders including the policy makers, practitioners, and researchers, to share the common understandings of the current situation, and to cocreate the policy interventions for the sustainable uses of Sekisei Lagoon.

Global change causes fluctuations as rainfall deficits that in some cases amplifies the reduction in nutrient intakes required for water quality regulation. In this context, oligotrophication reduces the pelagic production of coastal ecosystems and promotes the return of benthic macrophytes such as Zostera meadows. It is now necessary to know and understand the potential benefits related to the return of seagrass beds associated with the environmental recovery of shellfish-exploited-ecosystems (SEE). The French–Japanese SAKURA project aimed to (1) clarify and compare relationships between dynamics of nutrient levels, phytoplankton, and oyster production in the Thau Lagoon (France) and Hiroshima and Aki bays, using historical data analysis and carrying capacity models, (2) highlight the Zostera spp. contribution to oyster life cycles studying the variability of larval recruitment, survival, growth of juveniles, and trophic regime of oysters in the presence or in the absence of Zostera spp. meadows, (3) describe and compare the dynamics of socio-ecosystems of SEE under oligotrophication. First results of the SAKURA project permitted to start to improve knowledge on the influence of oligotrophication processes on the ecological status of shellfish-exploited-ecosystems and on the oyster life cycle. Analysis is still ongoing. Now, the French and Japanese partners want to deepen the interdisciplinary approach and the knowledge of this major sea and coastal challenge by expanding their partnership in the international community to address more holistically the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of resources in the changing coastal seas.

“Forecasting and Understanding Trends, Uncertainty and Responses of North Pacific Marine Ecosystems” (FUTURE) is the flagship integrative Scientific Program undertaken by the member nations and affiliates of the North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES). A principal goal of FUTURE is to develop a framework for investigating interactions across disciplinary dimensions in order to most effectively understand large-scale ecosystem changes and resulting impacts on coastal communities. These interactions are complex, often nonlinear, occur across a range of spatial and temporal scales, and can complicate management approaches to shared and trans-boundary problems. Here, we present a Social–Ecological–Environmental Systems (SEES) framework to coordinate and integrate marine science within PICES. We demonstrate the application of this framework by applying it to four “crisis” case studies: (a) species alternation in the western North Pacific; (b) ecosystem impacts of an extreme heat wave in the eastern North Pacific; (c) jellyfish blooms in the western North Pacific; and (d) Pacific basin-scale warming and species distributional shifts. Our approach fosters a common transdisciplinary language and knowledge base across diverse expertise, providing the basis for developing better integrated end-to-end models. PICES provides the structure required to address these and other multi-national, inter-disciplinary issues we face in the North Pacific. An effective and comprehensive SEES approach is broadly applicable to understanding and maintaining resilient marine ecosystems within a changing climate.

Coastal environments of the world have been exposed to eutrophication for several decades. Recently the quality of coastal waters has been gradually and successfully improved, however the improvement has caused another issue in ecoastal ecosystem services, called oligotrophication. Local stakefolders have suggested that oligotrophication reduces pelagic productivity and moreover fishery production in coastal ecosystems, while oligotrophication with high transparency has recovered benthic macrophyte vegetation which have been depressed by phytoplankton derived from eutrophication. In particular, seagrass species is one of the most important coastal vegetation for climate change mitigation and adaptation, which has been welcomed by another stakefolders. Therefore, harmonizing coastal fishery with environmental conservation is now essential for the sustainable use of ecosystem services. Here, we just started some practice in field based on the interdisciplinary approach including ecological actions, socio-economical actions and moreover psychological actions to find the integrative coastal management maximizing well-beings of various stakefolders, which is essential to harmonize environmental conservation with sustainable fishery and aquaculture. Now we are focusing on the interaction between oyster aquaculture and seagrass vegetation as an ecological action.

As an inter-disciplinary study on the Sekisei Lagoon and its governance, co-authors, participated by both the social and ecological scientists, developed a schematic of main ecological structure, functions, use-types and stakeholders. Then, more than 50 policy measures by 5 ministries were identified as the measures for the conservation and sustainable uses of the Sekisei Lagoon. We found that, each ministry implements sectoral measures for specific use-types and stakeholders. However, all in all, most of the main ecosystem structure, functions, use-types and stakeholders are covered by some of sectoral measures by some ministry. Therefore, to achieve the harmony of the conservation and uses, roles of the local government (Prefecture, City, and Towns) and the Cabinet Office (Headquarter for the Ocean Policy) for the multi-level governance regime are important. Also, this type of inter-disciplinary work is good for the knowledge sharing and the capacity development of the researchers aiming for the integrated social-ecological systems studies.

To foster future research directions and propose feasible adaptive management strategies, the factors affecting job satisfaction were examined in Akkeshi and Erimo, two local fishing communities in northeast Hokkaido, Japan, using historical fisheries data and semi–structured questionnaires. Fishers in Akkeshi practice mixed fisheries (capture and aquaculture), whereas in Erimo fishers specialize in capture fisheries. The target species for fisheries and aquaculture are kelp (Laminaria angustata), chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) and oysters (Crassostrea gigas) in Akkeshi, and kelp and chum salmon in Erimo. The fishers in both areas were moderately satisfied with their jobs, but fishers in Erimo were more satisfied than those in Akkeshi. Satisfaction was directly associated with household size in Akkeshi and Erimo, and was high for fishers practicing oyster aquaculture in Akkeshi. Most fishers (79% in Akkeshi and 84% in Erimo) were unaware of any future target species if the current species declined or went extinct. About 14% of the respondents in Akkeshi mentioned oyster farming as their best alternative in the future. Differences in job satisfaction between the two areas may be attributed to disparities in socio–economic factors and fishery types among fishers. Further comprehensive studies that include allocation of fishing effort among different species, and impacts of climate variability and anthropogenic factors on the resources are required.

The paper focuses on the development of women fisheries entrepreneurship groups in the marine products distribution sector in Japan. In particular, we will discuss the women’s groups in fishery cooperative associations (FCAs) who live in fishing communities and conduct economic activities using local resources centred on fishery products. The case study of the Sanmi Sea Mothers will also be examined following its historical evolution up to its current operational and economic performance.

Taking changes, uncertainty and diversification of ecosystems and societies as prerequisites, the effective way to implement stable fisheries management involves engaging the stakeholders (e.g., fishers, authorities and researchers) in discussions of issues. Such dialogues allow the participants to select and implement initiatives for measures that suit the location in question. This process also can accommodate revisions to compensate for changes in nature and society as the results and significance of the initiatives are continually appraised via the varied knowledge possessed by the stakeholders. And, to support this kind of deliberation and decision-making, in cooperation with fishers, we have developed and are sharing a fisheries management tool-box. As a result, we are now able to compare various sites using a common framework, which enables us to search out general theories for fisheries management in the future. Moreover, by using the tool-box in recurring discussions among the diverse range of knowledge holders at the site in question, the diverse perspectives of stakeholders (including researchers) change. In turn, that change can be fed back to the tool-box, with the hope that it will contribute to “co-evolution” of knowledge related to fisheries management.

In the context of the process in which Shiretoko was selected as a World Natural Heritage Site, we discuss the functions of bilateral knowledge translators as buffers to resist external pressure. We explore a process that encourages reconfiguration of the international framework represented by World Natural Heritage Site. In the Shiretoko region, through the interaction between fishers and visiting researchers, knowledge systems that contribute to the international value of World Natural Heritage Sites are reorganized to fit local realities. The mechanisms utilized and the value derived from local fisher practices can spread widely via the language of science.

The development of sustainable model of aquaculture by applying Sato Umi concept within coastal area of Indonesia has expanded from the center of first experiment in the northern coastal area of west Java to central Java (western Indonesia) and Bantaeng in the South Sulawesi of central Indonesia. The similar program has also been proposed for Maluku Province in the eastern part of Indonesia. In the next 5 years, Indonesia is developing the Techno Parks Program in some areas, in which aquaculture and fisheries activities development on the base of Sato Umi concept in the coastal area are involves in this program. The development of Techno Parks are directed as a center application of technology to stimulate the economy in the regency, and a place of training, apprenticeship, technology dissemination center, and center business advocacy for the public. Hopely, Sato Umi concept that has a similar spirit with Techno Park can be applied to support the implementation of Techno Park program in Indonesia

In this paper we present a call for a re-directing fisheries science towards an integrated scientific activity which includes the trajectory of fish from eggs and their life underwater to consumption on the table. We propose that integrated research in fisheries science be defined as “interdisciplinary research for society and human well-being which deals with the sustainability of dynamic fisheries systems, taking various knowledge, values, and needs into account.” As an integrative discipline, fisheries science offers many advantages to overcoming the limitations of the traditional sciences. The ability to conduct traditional research activities based on each academic discipline is a prerequisite to participating in integrated research. However, “additional processes” are needed, such as the introduction of new integrated thinking, joint determination of the research framework, mutual learning by participating researchers, interaction with stakeholders, among others. Integrated research in fisheries science would allow overall influences to be analyzed, including exogenous factors such as environmental changes and other marine industries. Walleye pollock Theragra chalcogramma provides a good model species for analyzing future scenarios of the structure of the industry as well as potential strategies for addressing and considering the effects of other highly fluctuating resources. One of the most challenging topics is identifying possible paths from a depleted stock to its future recovery. Scientific analyses on “How fast?” “Who should bear the costs?” “When it will occur”, etc., should be conducted by close interactions with stakeholders.

Fisheries provide food, feedstuff, and materials which are reliant on ecosystem services provided by marine and freshwater systems. Fish spawn and mature in aquatic systems, from which they are harvested by fishers, distributed and processed in households, restaurants, or processing plants, and either eaten by consumers, used in aquaculture, horticulture or agriculture, or used in manufacturing. The movement of fish from sea to plate follows distinct sequential stages. We call this the “fisheries system”. While each stage of the fisheries system has been the focus of specific research activities, these activities have generally proceeded from the perspective of individual disciplines, e.g., oceanography, chemistry, biology, ecology, resource dynamics, economics, business management, food science, processing, nutrition studies, etc. As a result, their objectives, data, models, discussions, etc., do not present an effectively integrated perspective of the fisheries system as a whole. This Special Feature brings together research from across disciplines to provide a broad perspective of the walleye pollock Theragra chalcogramma fisheries system. While this falls short of being a fully integrated model, it highlights key interfaces among disciplines and illustrates fundamental research questions for each stage. By highlighting these questions and interfaces, we hope to foster an intellectual environment that will lead to true “integrated research” that can best be pursued by multi-disciplinary teams rather than by individual scientists who limit their research activities to the narrow scope of their specific disciplines.

Makino, M., and Sakurai, Y. 2012. Adaptation to climate-change effects on fisheries in the Shiretoko World Natural Heritage area, Japan. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 69: . In the Shiretoko World Natural Heritage area, many factors have been observed that imply effects of climate change on ecosystems, such as decreases in seasonal sea ice, changes in fishing grounds, and the appearance of non-local species. This study summarizes observed and anticipated effects of such climate change on fisheries in the heritage area and discusses policy and research needs for adapting to these changes. International research and monitoring at the scale of large marine ecosystems (LMEs) is the basis of all policy measures for adapting to climate change. Several measures need to be combined, taking into account the various socio-ecological aspects of fisheries and scales of ecosystems. Such measures of adaptation should be incorporated also into the cross-sector coordination system and the Integrated Management Plan, which were established to manage the World Heritage area. Also, culture is an important part of society, and the World Heritage programme may offer clues for creating a new and peaceful culture based on the LME.

There are few legal marine protected areas in Japan rather than fishing-ban areas. Fishers did not seek legal fishing-ban areas but they did establish fishing-ban areas by autonomous bases. We briefly introduce the institutional history and features of Japanese coastal fishery management, including the past decade’s major legislative developments. Japan still has a decentralized co-management system involving fishers and the government, and ca. 98% of Japanese fishers are artisanal. There are several successful cases of coastal fisheries management in Japan. However, offshore industrial fisheries have problems in Japan. We compare coastal fisheries co-management between Japan and Chile. We finally discuss the possibility of improvement for Japanese fisheries.

2007 年 2 月以来，日本経済調査協議会の水産業改革高木委員会提言「魚食をまもる水産業の戦略的な抜本改革を急げ」や，内閣府規制改革会議の「規制改革推進のための第 2 次答申」「中間とりまとめ―年末答申に向けての問題提起―」などの公表が起点となり，水産業改革のための議論が業界関係者を中心に活発化した。日本水産学会企画広報委員会では，このような動きに関する情報を学会員の間で広く共有して今後の活動の参考にするとともに，そこで展開されている議論の内容や論点を正確に把握することを目的として，標記の勉強会を実施した。本稿は，その第 2 回目の講演および討議の記録である。

In the middle of the 1990s, Pacific saury fishery vessels began to install “size separators” to selectively land large-size class fish with a higher price. Contrary to expectations, this resulted in removal of the separators in 2006 because fishers believed the separators had contributed to price collapses in the 2000s. The intent of this paper is to investigate the effects of separators on both the fishery economy and stock of Pacific saury by simulating population and economic models under a single framework. For this purpose, we developed (1) an age-structured population dynamics model with stochasticity, and (2) an economic model spanning both price and inventory dynamics with stochasticity, in which each set of model parameters were estimated on the basis of time series data. In a 10-year simulation, the harvest quota was set constant from 20,000 to 400,000 t at intervals of 20,000 t, and the effects of separators were incorporated by controlling the catchability of 0-year-old fish. We found that separators increase the expected yield and reduce the deficit risk for harvests of 140,000 t and smaller. However, separators have the opposite effects for harvests of 160,000 t and larger.

Marine capture fisheries face major and complex challenges: habitat degradation, poor economic returns, social hardships from depleted stocks, illegal fishing, and climate change, among others. The key factors that prevent the transition to sustainable fisheries are information failures, transition costs, use and non-use conflicts and capacity constraints. Using the experiences of fisheries successes and failures it is argued only through better governance and institutional change that encompasses the public good of the oceans (biodiversity, ecosystem integrity, sustainability) and societal values (existence, aesthetic and amenity) will fisheries be made sustainable. Fil: Grafton, R. Quentin. Australian National University; Australia Fil: Hilborn, Ray. University of Washington; Estados Unidos Fil: Ridgeway, Lori. Fisheries And Oceans Canada; Canadá Fil: Squires, Dale. NOAA Fisheries. Southwest Fisheries Science Center; Estados Unidos Fil: Williams, Meryl. Aspley; Australia Fil: Garcia, Serge. Food And Agriculture Organization Of The United Nations; Italia Fil: Groves, Theodore. University of California at San Diego; Estados Unidos Fil: Joseph, James. No especifíca; Fil: Kelleher, Kieran. The World Bank; Estados Unidos Fil: Kompas, Tom. Australian National University; Australia Fil: Libecap, Gary. University of California; Estados Unidos Fil: Lundin, Carl Gustaf. International Union for Conservation of Nature; Suiza Fil: Makino, Mitsutaku. Fisheries Research Agency; Japón Fil: Matthiasson, Thorolfur. University of Iceland. Faculty of Economics and Business Administration; Islandia Fil: McLoughlin, Richard. Jerrabomberra; Australia Fil: Parma, Ana María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentina Fil: San Martin, Gustavo Adolfo. Benthic Fisheries; Chile Fil: Satia, Ben. Committee for Fisheries; Estados Unidos Fil: Schmidt, Carl Christian. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; Francia Fil: Tait, Maree. Australian National University; Australia Fil: Zhang, Lin Xiu. Chinese Academy of Sciences; República de China

A practical guideline for community-level ecological risk management is proposed, with particular emphasis on the mutual interdependencies of the scientific analysis, public consensus building, and an adaptive management. The procedure we recommend spans the screening of potential ecological risks, the involvement of related stakeholders, the conceptual development from the “undesired event” over assessment endpoints to measures of effect and stress factors, the risk assessment for the no-action case, the planning phase from the public decision to become active and the setting of goals over a specification of monitoring and control methods to an assessment of feasibility and a public approval of the management plan and finally the adaptive management from initiation over continued monitoring to revisions of the plan, if required. The procedure contains several checkpoints, alternative routes, and possibilities to correct previous decisions.

This paper presents the institutional history and features of Japanese coastal fishery management, including the past decade's major legislative developments. In Japan, local resource users have been the principal decision makers in fishery resource management. Under the current Fishery Law, resource conservation is an integral part of resource use. Coordination of fisheries’ issues, such as rights/license distribution and local regulations, is achieved by multilevel coordinating organizations. Government and/or research institutes provide support with planning, scientific advice, etc. A brief analysis of Kanagawa Prefecture suggests that the fisheries transaction costs, especially the monitoring, enforcement and compliance costs, are remarkably low.

日本の水産資源管理制度には大宝律令以来1300年間にわたり「資源利用者による資源の保護・培養」という理念が貫かれている。また近年の資源管理協定やTAC法の協定制度等の,漁民の自主協定による資源管理制度は,行政費用の低さや柔軟性,政治理念から言っても推進していく価値がある。一方で米国は「政府による資源管理と市民による資源利用」という二元的制度であり,資源利用者は専ら自己の利潤最大化に専念する。こうした理念的特徴を有する日本における水産学には「日々の漁業操業の中での資源管理」という視点が重要である。

In this chapter, we derive several indicators of the fisheries sectors on a country-by-country basis, and clarify the social and ecological conditions in the Asia-Pacific area. These are summarized as financial, industrial profile, marine resource diversity, food security, social security, and human resource conditions. Then, with a case from an UNESCO World Natural Heritage site in Japan, we propose a socially and ecologically compatible ecosystem-based management framework in the Asia-Pacific area. Under this framework, the local fishers are the core of the management. The most important policy measure is the human capacity building and legal protection of each fishery.

Since the first legal provision for fisheries operations in the eight ­century, the fundamental concept of fisheries management in Japan has been fisheries management by the resource users themselves. This concept has been passed down to even the most recent management system, such as total allowable catches (TACs) which was adopted in Japan in 1997, and the Resource Recovery Plan that was established in 2001. In the history of institutional development, there were two big events: the modernization period (Westernization after the feudal era) in the late 1860s, and the post-WWII period while under U.S. occupation in the late 1940s. The legislative processes of major laws in these two periods are presented in this chapter, which concludes with a summary of the institutional features of Japanese fisheries management.

There are two types of marine-protected areas (MPAs) in Japan: Legal MPAs (LMPAs) and Autonomous MPAs (AMPAs). The former MPAs are established directly based on the prescriptions of legislative laws and set by the government. The latter MPAs are more site specific and responsive to the local socioecological conditions, and are established based on local initiatives. Fishers play a core role in their planning and implementation processes. Four cases of Autonomous MPAs presented in this chapter show the diversity of their objectives, participants, and implementation processes. After discussing the objectives of MPAs, the advantages and weak points of AMPAs are summarized. As other initiatives for ecosystem conservation by local fishing people in Japan, concepts of Sato-umi (the seas as part of one’s homeland or community) and Uo-tsuki-rin (fish conservation forests) are briefly described.

Based on the Ecosystem Approach of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and case studies presented in Chaps. 4 and 5, this chapter examines the institutional advantages of and necessary measures for developing Japanese fisheries management into ecosystem-based management. Japanese fisheries mana­gement has advantages that include a decentralized management system, use of local and scientific knowledge, multi-scale and interlinked management frameworks, etc. On the other hand, measures need to be adopted to cover the following areas: adoption of ecosystem perspectives, wider stakeholder involvement, an ecosystem monitoring system, and appropriate use of indicators and protected areas. The conclusions derived in this chapter are later used to assess the ecosystem-based management applied to the Shiretoko World Natural Heritage area to be discussed in Chap. 8.

Two cases from offshore areas are presented in this chapter. The first case is snow crab management by bottom trawlers off Kyoto Prefecture. This fishery is semi-industrialized with a relatively small number of vessels. After the severe collapse of the snow crab resource in the late 1970s, the organization of Kyoto bottom trawlers implemented several autonomous measures, including setting up no-take zones, for which they were awarded Japan’s first Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certificate. The second case is industrial purse seiners in the northwestern Pacific. In this area, a species alternation phenomenon has been observed among sardine, anchovy, and mackerel, which follows an approximately 50-year cycle. The purse seiners’ response to sardine population fluctuations in the 1980s resulted in the failure of the chub mackerel bloom in the late 1990s. In response, the national government and the organization of purse seiners adopted, in 2003, a Resource Recovery Plan to protect strong year classes of chub mackerel, which is now gradually showing a successful outcome.

This chapter describes, using the latest statistics, current conditions and problems facing Japanese capture fisheries, including total production, business conditions, resource levels, trade, self-sufficiency rate, etc. Next, profiles of major capture fisheries sectors and their management frameworks are described. Aquaculture (mariculture) is another important sector, especially in production values in coastal areas. The history, institutional frameworks, and major species cultured are described. Fish ranching, which involves the release of artificially produced fish seeds into natural waters, is very active in Japan. Current activities and problems facing fish ranching activities are described. Finally, the social roles and economic size of the fisheries processing sector, which is also a large fisheries sector in Japan, are briefly summarized.

A policy report published by the Fisheries Research Agency of Japan suggests there are five major aspects to fisheries management: (A) resource and environmental conservation, (B) food provision, (C) industrial and economic development, (D) local community development, and (E) the promotion of culture and science. Taking this multi-objective nature into account, the report then suggests a basic scheme for comprehensive fisheries management. It also shows three theoretical future scenarios for Japanese fisheries that explicitly reflect different sets of values: a global competition scenario, a national food security scenario, and an ecological mosaic scenario. At the end of this chapter, I discuss the national citizens’ policy demands based on the results of a web-based questionnaire survey.