The Political meaning and the Technical Issues on Development of Offshore Artificial Fishing Grounds

The situation which surrounds fisheries, such as deterioration of marine resources and the global shortage of marine products is getting worse. Recovery of the marine resources in the ocean, especially offshore area has been the urgent subject in Japan. For this reason, fisheries Agency revised the Law of Fishing Ports and Fishing Ground, and founded the system which government oneself performed fishing ground development program in 2007. In this paper, the authors explain the political meaning of the program as well as the plan and the effect of the project which is done as a first in the western part of Japan Sea. In addition, the authors describe future expectation of the program while the subject when the authors promote the program is arranged.