Home/News TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese nuclear reactor which survived a massive 2011 earthquake and tsunami that badly damaged the nearby Fukushima nuclear power plant was restarted Tuesday for the first time since the disaster after a safety upgrade as the government pursues a renewed expansion of nuclear energy to provide stable power and reduce carbon emissions 2 reactor at the Onagawa nuclear power plant on Japan’s northern coast was put back online and is expected to start generating power in early November said.The reactor is one of the three at the Onagawa plant which is 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of the Fukushima Daiichi plant where three reactors melted following a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami in March 2011 The Onagawa plant was hit by a 13-meter (42-foot) tsunami but was able to keep its crucial cooling systems functioning in all three reactors and achieve their safe shutdowns All of Japan’s 54 commercial nuclear power plants were shut down after the Fukushima disaster for safety checks and upgrades 2 is the 13th of the 33 still useable reactors to return to operation It is also the first restart in Japan of the same type of reactor damaged in Fukushima Tohoku Electric President Kojiro Higuchi said the reactor’s restart highlights the area’s recovery from the disaster Japan’s government adopted a plan to maximize use of nuclear energy including accelerating restarts of closed reactors extending the operational life of aging plants as the country struggles to secure a stable energy supply and meet its pledge to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 is an important power source for decarbonization,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Tuesday “We will maximize its use while ensuring safety.” Restarting nuclear reactors is also increasingly important for Japan’s economic growth Hayashi said.Concern about the government’s revived push for nuclear energy grew after a magnitude 7.5 earthquake hit Japan’s Noto Peninsula on Jan killing more than 400 people and damaging more than 100,000 structures Minor damage was reported at two nuclear facilities and evacuation plans for the region were found to be inadequate Tohoku Electric in 2013 began upgrading its safety including tsunami risk estimates and anti-quake measures It also built an anti-tsunami wall extending up to 29 meters (95 feet) above sea level and obtained safety approval from regulators in 2020 Twenty-one of Japan’s nuclear reactors including six at Fukushima Daiichi and one at Onagawa are currently being decommissioned because their operators chose to scrap them instead of investing large amounts for additional safety equipment required under the much-stricter post-Fukushima safety standards Trident Seafood Subsidiary Begins Surimi Product Manufacturing in Onagawa a crab-flavored surimi sticks factory of Trident Seafood Asia Inc. the new factory focuses on careful hygiene management and quality improvement it operates with two lines and 45 employees It plans to produce 500 to 600 tons in the first year The crab leg style product offers four items.. Note: All comments are displayed with user's screen name Please go to My Account to update your screen name Comment Policy: SeafoodNews.com and Urner Barry have made the comment feature available to encourage further discussion of our news stories or comments deemed not relevant to the story will be removed SeafoodNews.com and Urner Barry may restrict the right of individual subscribers to offer comments comments represent opinions of the poster only opinions or estimates put forward by SeafoodNews.com and Urner Barry West Coast Fisheries Infrastructure Waxes and Wanes: Part 1 Shoreside fisheries support decreases following limited fishing seasons  Editor’s note: This is the first of a three-part series on the struggles facing shoreside infrastructure that supports West Coast fisheries submitted by Pacific Fishery Management Council Executive Director Merrick Burden Parts 2 and 3 will be published later this week.  Stand on a dock in any West Coast fishing town and you will see similar things: worn wood these are just some of the more obvious signs of an underlying problem that is making fishing off the West Coast exceptionally difficult: The decay and loss of shoreside infrastructure.  Infrastructure is everything that supports a healthy fishery It means docks that need to be maintained in the harsh elements; harbors that need to be regularly dredged; fuel docks to keep vessels moving; bait suppliers; and support businesses to sell and store the gear that a fishing boat needs It means ice to chill the fish; a dock and hoist to land them; a buyer to buy them; a processor to filet and package them; cold storage; and a distribution network and reliable markets and repair services for when things go wrong The past few years have been rough for West Coast fisheries.   GAPP Gets USDA Funds for 2025 Trade Missions The Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) a group focused on marketing and researching Alaska's pollock industry between its receipt of federal funds for exploring emerging markets and the release of its most recent round of Partnership Program funding for which proposals are now being accepted Exploring emerging markets in South America and Asia GAPP announced its receipt of federal funding through the U.S Foreign Agriculture Service (USDA-FAS) Emerging Markets Program (EMP) to explore emerging markets.. Russian Financial Conglomerate AFK Sistema Sells Major Salmon Fishing Asset in Kamchatka The Russian financial conglomerate AFK Sistema has decided to sell its major fishing asset one of Russia’s largest Pacific salmon fishing companies with a business value of approximately RUB 15 billion (USD $183 million).   which is owned by Russian businesswoman Milana Kerimova.    Voskhod Holding is considered one of Russia’s largest Pacific salmon producers The company's main assets are located in Kamchatka Full $4.5 Million in Maine Sea Grant Funding Restored The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration informed the University of Maine on Monday that it was reinstating all $4.5 million in federal funding it had previously cut from Maine Sea Grant The 20-person program provides technical and research support to the state's fisheries and coastal economies "The groundswell of support for Maine Sea Grant and the stories that have surfaced about its incredible impact on our state's working waterfronts have been extraordinary and effective," UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy.. Commercial Rock Crab Fishery Opens from California/Oregon Border to Humboldt Bay Following a recommendation from state health agencies(opens in new tab) the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced(opens in new tab) the reopening of the commercial rock crab fishery in northern California from the California/Oregon border (42° 00.00’ N Lat.) to the Humboldt Bay entrance at the north jetty (40° 46.15’ N This area has remained closed for nearly a decade following a domoic acid outbreak and lack of sampling effort in subsequent years.. The Falkland Islands Fishing Companies Association (FIFCA) and its Spanish associates said that following the early closure of the first Loligo season (March 1 to April 27) given the scientific reports and with total catches close to 38,000 tons FIFCA said that "whilst the early closure of the first Loligo season – with just a few days remaining - is disappointing we understand the reasons behind the decision it is important that we collectively protect our resources and maintain a sustainable fishery..." NZ Snapper Trial Promising Underwater Pen is Innovative 'Stepping Stone' Towards Open Ocean Farming Finfish are being trialled in an open ocean aquaculture test system for the first time in New Zealand – in a “soft” Plant & Food Research has moved around 2000 snapper from its Nelson finfish facility to its prototype pen in Tasman Bay about 6km off the western coast of D’Urville Island after the project got fast-track approval last year Programme lead Dr Suzy Black said the system developed by Plant & Food Research was the first of its kind.. Violence and Organized Crime: Inside the Lawless East Coast Elver Fishery In the chill dark of a March night on a Nova Scotia river a hip-wader-wearing woman put Canda’s sovereignty to the test the 40 or so net-wielding members of Sipekne’katik First Nation on the opposite bank were calling Canada’s bluff They caught juvenile American eels (elvers) under their own band-issued licenses in defiance of a Fisheries Act requiring them to have licenses approved by the federal fisheries minister “I think it was the fourth call to DFO I asked their dispatch if they..." OPINION: About Time Lobster Rules Were Informed by Lobster Fishery Turbulent" is a word often used in reporting about the relationship between the people who lobster for a living and the people who regulate that business The state of Maine last week announced something that might take the temperature down: As it develops new rules for fishing it has undertaken to conduct the first survey of commercial lobstermen in almost 20 years This regulatory landscape is generally uneven and hotly contested Britain can keep its post-Brexit ban on sand eel fishing - designed to protect puffin populations - a European court has ruled after the EU attempted to overturn the policy The Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that the UK was not legally obliged to reverse bans in either English or Scottish waters despite the EU arguing the policy broke the terms of the Brexit trade deal It is being interpreted as a "great Brexit win" for the Government at a time when Westminster and Brussels are locked in negotiations over fishing.. Sullivan-Whitehouse FISH Act 2025 is Unanimously Passed by Senate Commerce Committee Science & Transportation Committee unanimously passed the Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvest (FISH) Act unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing within the U.S also known as the FISH Act (or the FISH Act of 2025) establishes federal infrastructure and processes to blacklist offending IUU vessels from U.S Coast Guard’s enforcement capabilities and partnerships and advance international and bilateral negotiations to achieve enforceable.. Japan’s Black Cod Imports Exceed 10,000 Tons 3 Years in a Row Japan's 2024 imports of frozen cod from the United States amounted to 10,006 tons though still exceeding the 10,000-ton mark for the third consecutive year the import price rose 15% from 985 yen/kg ($6.83/kg) the previous year to 1,136 yen/kg ($7.88/kg) According to reporting from Minato Shimbun the rebound in market price was due to producers suspending fishing due to fatigue from low prices Scottish Aquaculture Tech Company Ace Aquatec Raises €11.7M; Will Create 15 Jobs has secured £10M (approximately €11.7M) in funding consisting of £7.5M in equity funding plus an additional £2.5M (approximately €2.9M) debt facility The funding round was led by Stolt Ventures with participation from Scottish Enterprise and Aqua-Spark This latest round was oversubscribed and incorporates a period post-close to allow further investors to participate The funding will help the company create 15 jobs at the company’s offices in Dundee Russia Hopes for Good Mackerel Catches This Year Despite Earlier Reports of Stock Decline Russia is hoping for good mackerel catches this year despite some earlier reports about a significant decline of mackerel stock within domestic territorial waters as well as abroad According to recent statements from leading Russian fisheries scientists the Atlantic mackerel stock continues to remain stable and is not at risk of decline due to overfishing Director of Research at the Russian State Research Center of Fisheries and Oceanography explained how scientists monitor stocks and analyze mackerel catches every year Jazz Fest Bucks National Trend by Serving Real Gulf Shrimp Amid growing concerns nationwide over seafood fraud the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival has emerged as a rare bright spot in the murky world of shrimp sourcing A new round of genetic testing found that nearly every shrimp dish sold at this year's Jazz Fest was made with genuine U.S wild-caught shrimp from the Gulf — a striking contrast to most restaurants across the South conducted by SeaD Consulting using its RIGHTTest genetic analysis tool examined 19 shrimp-based dishes from vendors at the 2025.. RCMP Investigate Latest Case of Gunshot Targeting Home of N.S Police are investigating the latest case of someone allegedly firing a gun at the home of a lobster buyer in southwestern Nova Scotia Geoffrey Jobert says he recently checked on some damage to the roof of his home in Mavillette and discovered birdshot pellets lodged into shingles The RCMP issued a release today confirming a shot was fired at his home in the small community near Meteghan and requesting public assistance with the case Jobert says the pellets struck his home a few.. Down East Community Mourns Loss of Fisherman Jaxson Marston In the days since Jaxson Marston died in an apparent accident while dragging for scallops the Down East region where he grew up has rallied to support his young family and honor his memory Marston's family and friends have posted social media tributes to the 26-year-old fisherman from Addison who was the father of a young daughter and was expecting another child with his longtime girlfriend The fishing community and others from far beyond Washington County have donated over $110,000 to.. SeafoodNews.com is the most widely read seafood industry news in North America We provide a quick daily snapshot of the global seafood industry we focus on the business side of the industry Our largest reader category is seafood buyers Subscription: There are two options the free subscription which you can find here. this will give you access to updates every 72 hours or you can upgrade to premium access learn more here. Navigating the Trump Tariff Turbulence: A Comprehensive Timeline Silver Bay Partners with BBEDC to Purchase Former Icicle Stake in OBI Seafoods Seafood Expo North America 2025: Day 1 in Photos What Trump Tariffs Mean for Food and Agriculture Trade The Winding Glass: Seafood Consumption in Crossfire as Global Tariff War Erupts fish farms have seen a spike in attacks from sea lions prompting companies to request the use of rubber bullets as a deterrent Sea lions "have breached the system and are being aggressive to staff," wrote Krista Sandberg regional manager of aquaculture environmental operations at Fisheries and Oceans Canada describing the situation at a fish farm run by the aquaculture company Mowi near Port Hardy "[They] have requested to [use] rubber bullets to gain control of the situation..." Fortune Sues Former Executive and Salmon Company Vikenco for Stealing Trade Secrets (Fortune) recently filed a lawsuit against former employee Christopher J Marchese and Norwegian salmon company Vikenco North America argues that the defendants stole confidential and proprietary information and trade secrets and engaged in direct competition with the plaintiffs despite contractual and common law obligations that prohibited such activity.. CHANNEL ISLANDS -- Strands of kelp glow in the dim morning light off California's Channel Islands as fish and sea lions weave through the golden fronds It's a scene of remarkable abundance — the result of more than two decades of protection in one of the state's oldest marine reserves life in the vast Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument faces a very different future The Trump administration has moved to reopen 500,000 square miles (about 1.3 million square kilometers) of previously protected waters there to.. Lobster Industry Worried About Prices as Season Begins The Maritime Fishermen's Union is concerned that prices paid to lobster fishermen in northern New Brunswick won't be enough to cover their rising overhead costs but they are concerned that "rumoured" prices of $6 to $6.50 per pound are not enough to cover the rising costs of fuel and they believe $8 per pound would be better CDFW Announces Closure of Mad River Fish Hatchery The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Friday the end of fish rearing at the Mad River hatchery citing millions in repair costs the department is on the hook for during a state budget crisis along with some rainbow trout living there will be released in spring Hatchery operations will then cease come June or early July “This place has been struggling with financial issues for decades,” said Peter Tira Vietnamese Ca Mau Seafood Overcomes the Fear of US Tariffs After the US announced new counterpart tariffs on imported goods seafood processing and exporting enterprises have proposed solutions The Department of Agriculture and Environment of Ca Mau Province said that Ca Mau Fisheries products exported to the US market were mainly shrimp the export turnover of the province to the US market in 2023 was 70.98 million USD (accounting for 5.91% of the province's exports); In 2024 it reached 76.78 million USD (accounting for 6.07% of the province's exports) Tuna Tune-Up: Calls for Clearer Green Claims on Cans There could be something fishy going on with the green claims slapped on tins of tuna Promises of "responsibly-sourced" and "planet-friendly" on cans of the go-to source of cheap protein are not always backed up with evidence The findings of the Marine Stewardship Council-commissioned study cast light on the way brands communicate to consumers rather than their actual efforts to avoid bycatch and source fish from healthy populations the commercial tuna fishing industry has made inroads on environmental performance Louisiana's Inshore Shrimp Season to Open May 8 in Some Parts the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission published the opening dates for the state’s inshore shrimp fishing season The following dates were decided upon for Louisiana’s inshore shrimping areas using information provided by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) biologists as well as public comments: * State inside waters from the Mississippi/Louisiana state line westward to the eastern shore of South Pass of the Mississippi River will open at 6:00 a.m Nations Rally Against Trump’s Deep-Sea Mining Order with $9.1B Sustainable Oceans Commitments regions and philanthropists have collectively committed $9.1 billion of new funding to protect and restore oceans at an annual summit in Busan A total of 277 funding commitments were made at the Our Ocean Conference which concluded on Wednesday (30 April) and is regarded as a key precursor to both the UN’s Ocean Conference in June and its annual climate summit (COP30) in November the funding commitments made at the Conference totalled $9.1 billion.. World's Coral Reefs Hit by Worst Bleaching Event on Record Harmful bleaching of the world's coral has grown to include 84% of the ocean's reefs in the most intense event of its kind in recorded history the International Coral Reef Initiative announced today It's the fourth global bleaching event since 1998 and has now surpassed bleaching from 2014-17 that hit some two-thirds of reefs And it's not clear when the current crisis which began in 2023 and is blamed on warming oceans Endangered Right Whales Spotted in Shipping Lanes South of Massachusetts A group of over 75 critically endangered North Atlantic right whales were seen in shipping lanes south of Martha’s Vineyard triggering a “crucial” slow zone in the area “Ship strikes are one of the leading causes of injuries and deaths for this critically endangered species making it crucial that vessels slow down to the recommended speed,” the Aquarium staff stated Thursday Voluntary slow zones encourage mariners to slow to 10 knots or less to prevent collisions with whales Advances Legislation Supporting State Shrimp Industry the Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA) issued a news release detailing the Texas House of Representatives’ recent advancement of two bills that stand to support the state’s shrimp industry Louderback and Terri Leo-Wilson and unanimously approved by the Trade Workforce & Economic Development Committee on April 23 The bill urges the federal government to address the domestic surge in cheap farm-raised imported shrimp and to take measures to combat the negative impact that such imports have on.. MLAs Raise Concerns About Need for More Dredging on the North Shore Fishers in North Rustico hit the water earlier than usual Wednesday morning after more than a dozen boats were stranded offshore on Tuesday Extremely low tides and strong winds combined with extra sand in the channel meant about half the boats that went out Tuesday morning couldn't get back to the wharf at the usual time and had to either wait for high tide to return or seek other harbours "I'd never seen the tide that low as it was yesterday," said Ian Gauthier Seven years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake 160 Chinese citizens were affected by the disaster with help from Japanese staff at their workplace none of them lost their lives in the tsunami I visited one woman who returned to China after the quake applied for a job in Japan through a local recruitment agency and moved to Onagawa in 2009 the houses and cars so small...it was as if I was living in a fairy-tale world.” The fantasy was abruptly halted on March 11 After experiencing the most violent shaking she had ever imagined along with 19 other Chinese trainees from the fishing company stood outside their building in utter shock Then the company’s senior managing director came running outside He calmly led the group of 20 Chinese trainees to elevated ground and then headed back to his office It was right afterwards that the tsunami engulfed the company’s entire building “Now is the time they can use a helping hand,” Cong had said when she returned to Onagawa in February 2012 Although her family back home firmly opposed the idea she strongly felt the need to repay her gratitude to the senior managing director who had saved her life before he fell victim to the tsunami and died Listening to the sound of bulldozers once she got there Cong stayed and worked for a year and a half in the entirely transformed town “The earthquake disaster taught me the true meaning of love and friendship,” she said Cong launched a small recruitment agency in Dalian Among those she recruits are Chinese youngsters who want to work in Japan Cong hopes she can “do something that can change people’s destinies,” just like that day seven years ago when the fishing company’s senior managing director had done so for her Kinya Fujimoto is  the Sankei Shimbun Beijing Bureau Chief (Click here to read the original article in Japanese.) You must be logged in to post a comment ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker 2025 years 4 month 23 Date 23 when 00 minutes Please note that this article contains advertisements Solo idol Yu Fu Terashima has released the music video for "Onagawa Town's Seapal-chan," the theme song for "Seapal-chan," the mascot character of Onagawa Town in Miyagi Prefecture for which she serves as a tourism ambassador The song was created with the cooperation of the Onagawa Town Tourism Association when Terashima Yufu was appointed as a tourism ambassador for Onagawa Town The entire music video features Onagawa's mascot character "Seapal-chan." In addition to writing the lyrics Terashima Yufu herself was responsible for the choreography It was shot entirely on location in Onagawa mainly featuring footage from Terashima Yufu's Onagawa performance on March 3nd as part of her 22th anniversary solo tour and her appearance at the Onagawa Spring Festival the following day including the mayor and the tourism association president The CD containing "Seapal-chan of Onagawa Town" is also on sale (included as a coupling track on "Bad girls go everywhere") so be sure to check it out along with the music video Yufu Terashima calls herself a "yuru-dol" (idol who loves yuru-chara) and has appeared as an MC at character events around the country including the "Yuru-chara Grand Prix," as a "yuru-chara interpreter." She is also known as the biggest Pompompurin fan in the entertainment industry even making a presentation about the character during an appearance on "Matsuko no Shiranai Sekai," as she forges her own path as an idol She is now "an idol who appears more often with yuru-chara than with humans." 3月21日には「女川町のシーパルちゃん」、3月28日には「ガタちゃん」、4月4日には「ちょっとだけエトランゼ 岡崎たび編」、4月11日には「ホントのカワウソ」、4月18日には「かまたんが来る♪」をリリースし、5週連続ゆるキャラテーマソングリリースを完遂したばかりの寺嶋由芙。 there are only two performances left in the solo debut 11th anniversary tour ~Ii Tabi Yufu Kimochi~ in Sapporo He is also invited to many mascot birthday parties in the future and is scheduled to appear at the birthday party of "Genghis Khan's Jin-kun" in Sapporo on April 2th he will also appear at the birthday party of Funassyi's 29th brother at Funabashi Civic Cultural Hall in Chiba Prefecture With the overwhelming support of her mascot characters Terashima Yufu continues to stand out in the idol world Yufu Terashima - Onagawa cho no Seapal-chan (Official Music Video) View on youtube During delivery Yufu Terashima Delivery single "Kamatan is coming♪" https://lnk.to/terashimayufu_kamatan Delivery single "A real otter" https://lnk.to/terashimayufu_kawauso View on youtube Delivery single "A Little Bit of Etranger: Okazaki Travel Edition" https://lnk.to/terashimayufu_etranze Delivery single "Gata-chan" https://lnk.to/terashimayufu_gatachan Delivery single "Seapal-chan from Onagawa Town" https://lnk.to/terashimayufu_seapal Delivery single "Bad girls go everywhere" https://lnk.to/terashimayufu_bgge Terashima Yufu Solo Debut 11th Anniversary Tour ~Good Trip Hokkaido Doors open 26:16/Show starts 00:16 April 4th (Sun) SOUND CRUE Hokkaido Doors open 27:13/Show starts 00:13 She started her career as a solo idol in 2013 She made her solo debut in 2014 with "#YouFlight." She has released 17 singles and 3 albums She also calls herself a "Yuru-dol" (idol who loves yuru-chara) including the "Yuru-chara Grand Prix," as a "yuru-chara interpreter." She is also known as the biggest Pom Pom Purin fan in the entertainment industry [Official account link] ◆X @yufu_0708 ◆ Instagram @yufu_terashima ◆YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@yufu_0708 ◆TikTok @yufu_terashima -Idol News, What's New, Music News -Yufu Terashima An online lottery using Momokuro-chan Z × PUI PUI Molcar collaboration visuals will be released Da-iCE releases new song "Black and White" as the theme song for the new TV Asahi drama "Takao Amakura's Mystery Chart" 2025 years 5 month 4 Date 22 when 23 minutes {excerpt}<\/p><\/li>"},"theme":{"name":""}}What's New Women's brand "Ameri" celebrates its 10th anniversary with its first free outdoor festival event! Atsuko Maeda, Mayuko Kawakita, Erika Karata, Rei Okamoto, and Fumika Baba attend 2025 years 5 month 5 Date 23 when 16 minutes 2025 years 5 month 5 Date 22 when 53 minutes 2025 years 5 month 5 Date 22 when 48 minutes 2025 years 5 month 5 Date 22 when 39 minutes 2025 years 5 month 5 Date 21 when 40 minutes 2025 years 5 month 5 Date 21 when 35 minutes 2025 years 5 month 5 Date 21 when 06 minutes 2025 years 5 month 5 Date 20 when 43 minutes 2025 years 5 month 5 Date 20 when 00 minutes