Farmed oysters in Hiroshima Prefecture have been dying off in large quantities, prompting the government to investigate the cause and look for ways to support farmers of the seafood.
The farm ministry and the prefectural government said they have seen reports that 80 to 90 percent of the farmed oysters harvested in Higashihiroshima and Kure in the western Japan prefecture since the season began in October were prematurely dead.
Farm minister Norikazu Suzuki visited an oyster farm in Higashihiroshima on Wednesday to survey the damage. He told reporters later that the government will ascertain the cause and help support oyster farmers in coordination with local authorities.
Dead oysters have also been reported in parts of neighboring Okayama Prefecture as well as Hyogo Prefecture to the east, Suzuki said earlier. All three prefectures face the Seto Inland Sea.
The farm ministry said that while the cause is not yet clear, the mass oyster die-offs could potentially be linked to factors such as seawater having elevated temperatures or sodium content, or a lack of oxygen.
Of Japan’s farmed-oyster production in 2023, around 89,000 tons, or 60 percent, were harvested in Hiroshima Prefecture.
