Japan’s catch of salmon species declined last year by 29 percent to the third lowest on record, according to a report from the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry. The Hokkaido Research Organization blamed the poor autumn catch on a cold-temperature induced die-off that reduced the population of salmon fry several years ago.
This followed a poor catch in 2016, when the combined salmon and trout output of Japanese fisheries and aquaculture amounted to approximately 8,000 metric tons (MT), down from about 14,000 MT in 2010. Japan’s salmon haul mostly consists of chum salmon caught in Hokkaido. Coho (silver) salmon is farmed in Miyagi Prefecture. While land-based Atlantic salmon production is slowly developing, production is so far negligible.
Also in 2017, according to Trade Statistics from the Japanese Ministry of Finance, imports of fresh and chilled trout last year totaled approximately 1,002 MT, with a value of JPY 1,165 million [Conversion to USD and EUR is not given here because the rates vary over time.]. Suppliers were Norway (836 MT), the United Kingdom (101 MT), Australia (26 MT), Chile (24 MT), the United States (11 MT), and Finland (1.6 MT).
Imports of fresh and chilled Pacific salmon consisted of 915 kilograms of sockeye, valued at JPY 2.3 million from the United States, as well as 45.6 MT of “other Pacific salmon” from Canada, and 47.5 MT (probably Chinook) from New Zealand, valued at approximately JPY 66 million and JPY 660 million, respectively.
As for fresh Atlantic salmon, the top suppliers were Norway with 16,417 MT, valued at approximately 17.5 billion yen; Canada with 1,530 MT valued at JPY 1,633 million; and Australia with 785 MT valued at JPY 886 million. The U.K. exported 413 MT valued at JPY 480 million, while Denmark sold 212 MT valued at JPY 236 million. Chile, Iceland, the United States, and the Netherlands were minor suppliers in the fresh/chilled Atlantics.
For frozen products, sockeye was supplied by Russia, with 21,698 MT valued at about JPY 18.12 billion, the United States with 10,184 MT valued at JPY 8,091 million; and Canada followed with 122 MT valued at JPY 98 million. A small amount of frozen sockeye was imported from Thailand, presumably repossessed product.
For frozen silver salmon, farmed product from Chile was far and away the leader, with 83,260 MT valued at JPY 61,946 million; followed by Russia, with 378 MT value at JPY 224 million; the United States with 126 MT valued at JPY 85 million; and Canada with just 9 MT valued at 9.2 million. The latter three are likely wild.
Other Pacific salmon – frozen, which would include both chum and chinook totaled 11,804 MT, valued at JPY 6,469 million. Russia shipped 7,971 MT valued at JPY 4,145 million; the USA shipped 2,429 MT valued at JPY 1,278 million; Canada shipped 1,091 MT valued at JPY 721 million; and New Zealand shipped 235 MT valued at 287 million. (New Zealand has an introduced Chinook salmon population). S. Korea and Chile were minor suppliers.
In frozen Atlantics, Norway ran neck-and-neck with Chile, the former shipping 363 MT valued at JPY 372 million and the latter shipping 329 MT valued at JPY 228 million. Denmark sold 252 MT valued at 267 JPY million. Canada was a minor player.
Frozen trout is big in Japan, where ocean-raised trout is generally called “salmon-trout.” It is cheaper than salmon, making it quite popular. Japan imported 12,625 MT, valued at JPY 12,002 million. Here, the leading suppliers were Norway with 3,510 MT valued at JPY 3,632 million; and Chile with 7,739 MT valued at JPY 7,318 million. Other suppliers were Iceland, Denmark, Finland, Turkey, the United States, Peru, and Lesotho. Turkey is a major supplier of trout to Europe. Peru farms trout in Lake Titicaca.
Recent prices at Tsukiji for frozen sockeye (HOG) were in the range of JPY 1,188 to 1,242, while silver/Coho sold at JPY 864 to 918.
