The yield of wild salmon in Japan has plummeted by 70%, with deteriorating water quality causing massive deaths.

Published 2025년 10월 11일

Tridge summary

Core tip: In autumn 2025, the wild salmon catch in Hokkaido, Japan, plummeted to a historic low, with the Abashiri region experiencing the most severe fishing crisis since 1994. According to data from the local fishing association, as of October 6, the catch from fixed nets was only 251,000 fish, a sharp decrease of 72% compared to the previous year, far below the record low of 1,179,000 fish set in 2019. The fishing industry is concerned that this season's output will reach a new low and lead to a regional economic deficit.

Original content

This crisis has been triggered by a "double blow": a sharp decline in the number of returning fish and the large-scale death of wild salmon. Experts point out that rising sea temperatures and red tide phenomena, which have led to deteriorating water quality, are the main causes. Red tides have frequently occurred along the Pacific coast in recent years, not only causing the death of wild salmon and sea urchins but also being closely related to the reduction of sea ice in the Okhotsk Sea and the continuous rise in sea temperatures. The shortage of resources is severely impacting artificial breeding plans. The number of parent fish used for artificial insemination in the Abashiri River basin has significantly decreased, making it difficult to advance the collection of fertilized eggs, which threatens the recovery of the overall wild salmon resources in Hokkaido. Industry insiders are concerned that if the number of breeding fish cannot be guaranteed, the number of returning fish ...

Source: Foodmate