第３６回Online workshop報告（８月６日）

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《今回のworkshop》
Sustainable consumption of Japanese eels
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＜Agenda＞

Sustainable consumption of Japanese eels

In Japan, “doyo-no-ushi-no-hi” is recognized as a day to eat Japanese eels (unagi). Actually, Japanese eels taste better during autumn and winter rather than summer as they become fatter to endure the hibernation period and the spawning season. Baby eels, so-called glass eels are collected in November and after 10 months of raising, they are ready for shipment. However, most of eel farmers adjust the growth of the eels so that they are in the best condition by the doyo-no-ushi-no-hi. By the way, Japanese eels is designated as an endangered species by the International Union for conservation of Nature (IUCN). Indeed, the number of the glass eel catches has decreased since 1960s and is currently one-fourth of that in the 1950s. Japanese eels travel a long distance during their life. Eels spawn eggs along the west side of the Mariana Ridge and the eel babies are drifted to the coast of Philippine and subsequently delivered to Japan by the Kuroshio current. Baby eels grown into glass eels (shirasu-unagi) enter the estuary and maturate after living in the rivers for 5 to 15 years. Maturated eels leave the river and swim 2000 km to the Mariana ridge for breeding. The Japanese eel babies are collected in four territories, Taiwan, South Korea, China, and Japan. In order to avoid extinction and maintain a sustainable unagi fishing business, aquaculture quotas were set in 2015. However, due to the high prices, poaching is making good business and approximately one-fourth of the glass eels imported to Japan are estimated to be based on illicit trade. As an unagi lover, I truly wish to avoid the extinction of Japanese eels and hope to eat unagi until I die.

<Questions>

Do you know other food resources that are diminishing and need conservation?

I myself think that unagi is over-supply in Japan. Reducing the amount of unagi product distribution may be a good idea to cut food waste. However, profit loss may lead to shrinkage of the industry. In addition, a certain shipment volume may be needed to maintain a reasonable product price.  In order to avoid the extinction of Japanese eels, should we eat unagi, or should we not?

Is there any idea that consumers could take part in conserving the Japanese eels? Please share the discussion results to the whole club.

<References>

https://phys.org/news/2021-12-adored-endangered-complex-world-japanese.html#:~:text=Since%202012%2C%20scientists%20in%20the%20four%20territories%20where,flourishing%20black%20market%2C%20with%20poaching%20and%20international%20trafficking.

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