The Japanese government is issuing financial help to oyster farmers after mass die-offs led to low harvests and big financial losses.
Oyster farmers in Hiroshima Prefecture reported mass die-offs of their crop earlier this year, with mortality rates as high as 80 percent to 90 percent, Japan Times reported. Hiroshima is the country’s leading producer of farmed oysters, producing as much as 60 percent of the nation’s total harvest each year, weighing in at roughly 89,000 metric tons.
The cause of the deaths is still unknown – with potential causes being higher water temperatures or salinity levels due to lower rainfall than usual – but farmers report nearly all of their crops have died off in places.
“The situation is extremely severe. I want to show as soon as possible what assistance can be provided under the current framework,” Japan Agriculture Minister Norikazu Suzuki said after a visit to the region.
Science Japan reported that neighboring Okayama Prefecture and Hyogo Prefecture are also facing die-offs, mainly in the Seto Inland Sea, which all three prefectures border.
In response to the mass die-offs, Suzuki said the government will issue an aid package to oyster farmers, NHK World Japan reported.
"The oyster industry is particularly active around the Seto Inland Sea, mainly in Hiroshima, and the economic damage suffered in this and related industries is significant,” Suzuki said. “The government will offer the support needed to secure funds and maintain employment."
As part of the package, local governments will begin to issue damage certificates to farmers, which can be used to apply for five-year, interest-free loans from government financial institutions.
Longer term, the minister said the government plans to help investigate and identify the cause of the mass oyster deaths.
