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From Monday, September 29th to Sunday, October 5th, “Select and Protect the Future of Fish Week” was held, centering on sustainable seafood and reexamining the future of the ocean, fish, and people. During the week-long program, a variety of organizations and companies collaborated to connect sustainable fisheries and a rich food culture to future generations. Consumers’ “power to choose,” companies’ “responsible production,” and local communities’ “power to support” intersected, sharing hope for the future of our oceans.
Kicking off a week of thinking about sustainable seafood / ASC x Robert Baba’s recipes, laughter, and learning!
The opening day of “Choosing and Protecting the Future of Fish Week” kicked off at 1:00 PM with a talk moderated by Wakao Hanaoka of Seafood Legacy. Minako Iue of Sailors for the Sea Japan Branch, Daisuke Matsui of ASC Japan, Kota Shibai of Global Seafood Alliance, Masaru Suzuki of Japan Sustainable Seafood Association, and Shuhei Uematsu of WWF Japan took the stage in succession to introduce their respective sustainable seafood initiatives.
An overview of Asia’s largest Sustainable Seafood Summit (TSSS), held October 1st and 2nd (Thurs), was also presented, sparking a positive outlook for building a future where we can continue to eat fish.
The next talk, starting at 3:00 PM, was moderated by Nishidai of Missile Man, and featured a talk session featuring Naomi Kawada of ASC Japan and culinary expert Robert Baba. Towards the end of the event, comedian Fusuya took the stage and demonstrated a simple recipe using certified ingredients created by Baba, filling the venue with laughter and a warm atmosphere throughout.
Conveying Sustainable Seafood to Children
The first half of the second day focused on the theme of “Sustainable Seafood and Marine Education,” with three speakers presenting their respective initiatives.
Hiroko Sasaki of Chefs for the Blue introduced activities such as “THE BLUE CAMP,” which address marine issues from the food industry. Next, Makoto Suzuki of the Japan Sustainable Seafood Association spoke about “Fish Elementary School,” an online comprehensive education program for which he serves as an instructor.
Finally, Woojin Chang of Dear Ocean, which operates children’s programs in South Korea, spoke about cross-border learning collaboration and emphasized the importance of marine education to protect sustainable oceans in the Asia-Pacific region.
6th Annual Japan Sustainable Seafood Awards Ceremony
The 6th Annual Japan Sustainable Seafood Awards ceremony took place during the second half of the second day. This awards ceremony honors organizations and companies contributing to the promotion of sustainable seafood. Seven finalists took to the stage in the Leadership and Collaboration categories. Practitioners from diverse backgrounds shared their innovative efforts to preserve Japan’s seafood culture for future generations.
The Leadership category winner was the Blue Carbon Creation Project Council’s “Sea Urchin Reproduction Cycle and Blue Carbon Creation Project Using the ‘Shakotan Method’ of Recycled Seaweed Bed Creation” in Shakotan Town, Hokkaido. The Collaboration category winner was the Fisheries Future Summit Executive Committee’s “Fisheries Future Summit: Considering the Future of Japan’s Oceans from a Field-Based Perspective.” Finally, the Japanese Consumers’ Co-operative Union’s “Indonesia Shrimp Aquaculture Improvement Project (AIP) Phase 3” was awarded a special prize.
TSSS Live Session: Human Rights in the Fisheries Industry – For the Future of Fish and People – / Learn Through Video: Activities to Protect a Bountiful Ocean
On the third day, Kota Shibai of the Global Seafood Alliance and Ryusuke Tanaka of the International Labor Organization (ILO) took the stage to discuss current issues surrounding forced labor and child labor and the latest efforts to address these issues.
The session then connected to the Sustainable Seafood Movement’s flagship event, the Sustainable Seafood Summit (TSSS) 2025, which was being held at the same time. The session focused on human rights in the fishing and aquaculture industries and discussed future prospects.
In the second half of the session, WWF Japan’s Marine Fisheries Group screened a video showcasing various initiatives related to sustainable marine environments, including IUU fishing and the blue economy.
BLUE OCEAN DOME × TSSS Special Session / TSSS Live Session: ASC Certification and the Future of Aquaculture
The first half of Day 4 was moderated by Mr. Hanaoka of Seafood Legacy, and Mr. Takakiyo Watari of Saraya Aquaculture Co., Ltd. introduced the current state of technology and initiatives under the theme “SARAYA’s Challenge to Sustainable Land-Based Aquaculture.” Mr. Masashi Nishizawa of Saraya Co., Ltd.’s Cold Chain Business Promotion Division explained the low-temperature technology and shipping plan that support the cold chain. Both parties spoke about their continued commitment to challenging unprecedented sustainable initiatives that combine “next-generation aquaculture technology” and “cold chain technology.”
In the following session, we connected online with Ms. Akiko Iegata of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Association. She introduced Alaska’s strict management system for fisheries, focusing on the themes of “Alaska Seafood Sustainability” and “A New Wild Seafood Certification Program: CSI Certification.” She emphasized the importance of choosing sustainable seafood by increasing awareness of eco-labels.
In the second half of the session, ASC Japan General Manager Koji Yamamoto, Japan Salmon Farm Co., Ltd.’s Kosuke Suzuki, Farm Suzuki Co., Ltd.’s Takashi Suzuki, and Fish & Planet Co., Ltd.’s Hirotoshi Norito took the stage to give presentations on their respective aquaculture initiatives. A live broadcast from the “Sustainable Seafood Summit (TSSS) 2025” was also held, with the four speakers discussing their vision for the future of aquaculture, emphasizing sustainability, stating that “aquaculture that harms the environment is meaningless.”
Looking back on 10 years of sustainable seafood! / How to end illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which is driving marine resources to depletion.
The first half of the fifth day featured a video produced to commemorate the 10th Sustainable Seafood Summit, titled “Looking back on 10 years of sustainable seafood.”
The second half of the event featured a two-part session on the theme of “How to End IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) Fishing, which is Driving the Depletion of Fisheries Resources.” Moderated by Hanaoka of Seafood Legacy, Mr. Takumi Fukuda of the Fisheries Agency’s Resource Management Division and Mr. Niall O’Dea of Fisheries and Oceans Canada took the stage. They introduced countermeasures against IUU fishing and collaborative efforts between the two countries.
Next, Mr. Uematsu of WWF Japan gave a presentation on IUU fishing countermeasures being implemented by private organizations. In a talk session featuring Mr. Iue and Mr. Hanaoka of Sailors for the Sea Japan, they visualized the environmental and economic impacts of IUU fishing and called for policy recommendations and international cooperation.
How Do You Choose Sustainable Seafood?
WWF Japan’s session on the sixth day introduced ways consumers can protect the oceans through their “power of choice.” In her introduction, Maya Takimoto of WWF Japan pointed out that 37.7% of marine resources are overfished, and explained the importance of “traceability,” which allows us to know where, who, and how a fish was caught.”
Next, Kenji Matsunaga of Meiho Fisheries Co., Ltd. and Sho Ihei of Nissui Co., Ltd., representing the fishing industry, and Hiroaki Kishima of Kijima Co., Ltd., representing the consumer industry, took the stage. Each speaker shared practical examples of how “fishermen’s pride” and “consumer choice” are protecting resources for the future.
Furthermore, Yusuke Sato of Maruha Nichiro Corporation presented cutting-edge traceability initiatives, and Satoshi Matsumoto of the Japanese Consumers’ Co-operative Union introduced the promotion of seafood eco-labels and aquaculture improvement projects.
During the intermission, Okinawa-based comedian and YouTuber Seyarogai Ojisan performed stand-up comedy, humorously explaining IUU (illegal, unreported, and unregulated) fishing, captivating the audience.
Let’s Learn About Sustainable Seafood Together!
The first half of the final day’s session featured a parent-child program titled “Fish Elementary School.” The program was moderated by school principal Masaru Suzuki, and featured speakers included Sotaro Usui of Usufuku Honten Co., Ltd. for the tuna section, Naomi Kawada of ASC Japan for the shrimp section, Kazuhiko Ohno of the Association for Connecting Traditional Edomae Fisheries to the Future for the Sea for the sea bass section, Mr. Shibai of the Global Seafood Alliance for the sea bream section, and Mr. Iue of Sailors for the Sea Japan Branch for the blue seafood section.
Each speaker introduced fishing grounds around the world and Japan, giving children an engaging explanation of how tuna, shrimp, and other fish are caught and the people involved. They delivered the message that “eating is a connection to the ocean.”
Concluding a Week of Thinking About Sustainable Seafood: What Will the World’s Oceans, Fishing Villages, and Tables Look Like in 2030?
In the closing session of “Select and Protect the Future of Fish Week,” all presenting organizations gathered together to reflect on the week’s achievements.
Mr. Iue of Sailors for the Sea Japan Branch, Mr. Kawada of ASC Japan, Mr. Shibai of Global Seafood Alliance, Mr. Suzuki of Japan Sustainable Seafood Association, and Mr. Uematsu of WWF Japan spoke with Mr. Hanaoka of Seafood Legacy. Based on participant survey results, the speakers realized their messages were reaching many people, and expressed their determination to continue expanding the circle of co-creation to protect the future of the oceans and fish.
▼The event is currently available on YouTube’s official BLUE OCEAN DOME channel. Please take a look.
【#139】Kick-off a week of thinking about sustainable seafood / ASC x Robert Baba’s recipes, laughter, and learning! (ZERI JAPAN / Seafood Legacy Co., Ltd. / ASC Japan) #EXPO2025
【#140】Sustainable Seafood: Passing It On to Our Children (ZERI JAPAN / Japan Sustainable Seafood Association) #EXPO2025
【#141】6th Japan Sustainable Seafood Awards Ceremony (ZERI JAPAN / Seafood Legacy Co., Ltd.) #EXPO2025
【#142】TSSS Live Session: Human Rights in the Fisheries Industry – For the Future of Fish and People – / Learn Through Video: Activities to Protect the Bountiful Ocean (ZERI JAPAN / GSA / WWF Japan) #EXPO2025
【#143】BLUE OCEAN DOME × TSSS Special Session / TSSS Live Session: ASC Certification and the Future of Aquaculture (ZERI JAPAN / Seafood Legacy Co., Ltd. / GSA) #EXPO2025
【#144】Looking Back on 10 Years of Sustainable Seafood! / How to End IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) Fishing, which is Driving Marine Resource Depletion (ZERI JAPAN/Seafood Legacy Co., Ltd.)
【#145】How to Choose Sustainable Seafood? (ZERI JAPAN/WWF Japan) #EXPO2025
【#147】Learn About Sustainable Seafood with Your Kids! (ZERI JAPAN/Japan Sustainable Seafood Association) #EXPO2025
【#148】A Week of Thinking About Sustainable Seafood Comes to an End: What Will the World’s Oceans, Fishing Villages, and Tables Look Like in 2030? (ZERI JAPAN/Seafood Legacy Co., Ltd.) #EXPO2025