Japan's saury catches to recover in 2024 but still low

Still, the 2024 catch was well below historical benchmarks, 81% below the annual average of 200,079 tonnes since 1981 and 50% below the average of 77,443 tonnes over the past 10 years. Experts attribute the long-term catch decline to rising sea surface temperatures, which disrupted the fish's migration patterns and led to the depletion of saury stocks. While the 2023 catch was the first increase in five years, the Japan Fisheries Agency had predicted that catches would remain low in 2024. Japan's saury fishing season typically peaks in September and October and runs until mid-December. As of November, the average selling price of saury rose to 465 yen per kilogram, up 12% from the same period in 2023. The reason for the price increase is that more fresh fish is entering the distribution channel through the retail and food service markets. According to researchers at the Japan Fisheries Information Service Center (JAFIC), the average weight of saury this year was Each one is 100 to ...