Changing Ocean Currents Shift Japan’s Tuna Harvest

Oct 03, 2025 | News On Japan

CHIBA, Oct 03, 2025 (News On Japan) - The usually abundant seasonal katsuo (bonito) is showing sharp regional contrasts this year, with Chiba Prefecture’s Katsuura port bustling while Kesennuma in Miyagi, Japan’s top landing site for 28 consecutive years, is seeing poor catches and soaring prices.

At Katsuura port, fishing boats have been bringing in haul after haul of katsuo, leading one port official to remark that it was unusual to see such quantities in autumn. Typically known for the “first katsuo” of spring, the port this year is experiencing unexpected activity in the autumn season, with the largest catch on one day reaching 21 tons, including fish weighing up to 8 kilograms.

In contrast, Tokyo’s popular seafood izakaya Taiko Chaya, which normally serves fresh autumn “returning katsuo” known for its fat content, was forced to use frozen fish on October 2nd. Owner Kan Saka explained: “This year the returning katsuo have not come back. The fat content is poor, so we have no choice but to use frozen fish.”

The situation is especially severe at Kesennuma port in Miyagi Prefecture, traditionally Japan’s leader in katsuo landings. Normally, fish weighing 2 to 3 kilograms are landed in abundance, but this season most catches are only around 1.2 to 1.3 kilograms and lack the expected fat. Even more alarming is the decline in volume: while more than 200 tons in a single day is not unusual in past years, only 85 tons were landed from nine vessels on one recent day. Prices have tripled, with wholesalers reporting that katsuo once sold for 1,000 yen now cost 3,000 yen.

Experts attribute the reversal to changes in the Kuroshio Current. According to Masahiko Ariji, professor at Kindai University, katsuo typically form fishing grounds along the warm waters of the Kuroshio. This year, the “Kuroshio large meander,” which had lasted nearly eight years, ended, shifting the current’s flow. With the current now running eastward from the northern Kanto region, fishing grounds have shifted, fueling Katsuura’s prosperity while leaving Kesennuma in decline.

Source: FNN

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