WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • JUNE 2013 23 (CONTINUED ON PAGE 24) indicate that levels of adult abalone decreased by more than half, and juvenile abalone and sea urchin abundance dropped to 14 and 5 percent, respectively, of pre-disaster densities. Since abalone recruit to the fishery at age four to five, commercial catch may be considerably lower than pretsunami levels for the next few years. The Fukushima Prefecture Fish Farming Station, located 3 km south of Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant, was destroyed, as well as the Soma branch office of the Fukushima Prefectural Fisheries Experimental Station (Wada et al. 2012). The research vessel, the Iwaki-maru (150 t) sank in Onahama Port. Miyako Station, formally part of the National Center for Stock Enhancement, Fishery Research Agency, was completely destroyed by the tsunami (Figure 6), but fortunately all employees are safe and accounted for. Reconstruction of Miyako Station began in 2012 and is ongoing. The station is scheduled to resume operations in 2013. Recovery The Fisheries Agency of Japan has generated a master plan for fishery recovery. The basic concept includes reconstruction FIGURE 5. Ten-meter high seawall that collapsed in response to the tsunami (Yamada, Iwate Prefecture). Photo: Fisheries Agency of Japan, Annual Fisheries White Paper. FIGURE 6. Miyako Station, Fisheries Research Agency: a) before the tsunami; b) after the tsunami; c) rebuilding plans. Photos a) and c): Fisheries Research Agency of Japan; photo b): ©2013 DigitalGlobe, Cnes/Spot Image, Map data ©2013 Google, ZENRIN. a. c. b.
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