The COVID-19 impacts and challenges to achieving sustainability in Japan’s fisheries and aquaculture

The Japanese fisheries, aquaculture, and seafood sectors have been undergoing continuous transformation affected by economic downturns due to the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Analyses of the COVID-19 impacts on fishery, aquaculture and seafood sectors in six sites in different parts of Japan exhibit that the impacts of the economic recession due to the pandemic differ between sectors, species, and local communities. The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic were multiplied by other national and international policy changes as well as other factors such as fish stock depletion and the possible relocation of fish stocks due to sea water temperature change. Stagnating demand for fisheries may give incentives to reinforce conservation and introduce new schemes aimed at seafood sustainability. There can be, however, a possible driver for a vicious cycle that induces overfishing and fish price deterioration. Stakeholder ingenuity and policy innovation are required to achieve sustainable fisheries.