The UNU-IAS Operating Unit Ishikawa-Kanazawa (OUIK) organized a symposium entitled “A Look at the Various Work Supporting Satoumi Creation” on June 10, at UNU Headquarters in Tokyo to commemorate the publication of the third volume in its Biocultural Diversity Series “Noto Satoumi Movement: Passing on Wisdom of Living with the Sea”. This symposium was held in conjunction with the UN “World Ocean’s Day” on June 8 and “The Ocean Conference” held at UN Headquarters in New York from June 5 to 9. Attended by 80 over participants, it was the first time a symposium solely themed on “Satoumi” was held at the UNU headquarters.
After the opening remarks by UNU-IAS OUIK Director Mr. Tsunao Watanabe, Senior Visiting Professor Kazuhiko Takeuchi delivered the keynote presentation on “A look at the Forest-Land-River-Sea connection in Noto’s Satoyama and Satoumi”, followed by report from UNU-IAS OUIK Research Associate Ms. Evonne Yiu on “OUIK’s Noto Satoumi Movement”. In the session on the “’Jobs in Noto’s Satoumi” included presentations by Fisher/Chairman of Ninzaki-Shigaura District Satoumi-Satoyama Promotion Council Mr. Masaki Iwata on reviving traditional mullet watchtower fishing in Anamizu town; Promotion Supervising Chief, Ishikawa Prefecture Fisheries Research Center, Mr. Takahiko Ikemori on his research of the seaweeds in Noto; Academic teacher, Japan Aviation High School Ishikawa Campus, Mr. Mizuki Suhara of Japan Airlines High School on supporting satoumi creation through scuba-diving, as well as a talk session between Chariman of Wajima Women Skin Diver Fishery Conservation Promotion Association, Ms Sachiyo Ikezumi and OUIK Research Associate Ms. Evonne Yiu.
In the session showcasing best practices of satoumi creation from other parts of Japan, NPO Satoumi Creation Research Meeting Executive Director Mr. Takahiro Tanaka introduced the “Regeneration of seagrass beds and oyster cultivation in Hinase, Okayama prefecture ” and Design · Bar Representative Mr. Akihiro Dazai from Minami Sanriku Town of Miyagi prefecture spoke on the “Recovery from the Great East Japan Great Earthquake Town through Forest-Land-Sea-People approach”. At the panel discussion moderated by OUIK Director Mr. Tsunao Watanabe Tsunao, Professor Nobuyuki Yagi Professor of the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences gave his comments on the significance of the Satoumi concept in addressing international ocean issues, and also saw speakers and participants engaged in active discussions, including clarifications on how to define Satoumi and how Satoumi creation can be implemented.
The symposium emphasized the necessity to create a mechanism in Japan’s satoumi, whereby traditional fishing methods and customary practices of resource management could be capitalized, along with managing fisheries resources and coastal areas as open commons suited for needs of the modern society. Also, it is recognized that by conserving the bountiful natural marine environment as typified by Satoumi concept, could also contribute to the international community’s effort in achieving of the “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” (in particular SDGs 14).
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