On March 24, 2015, a public seminar on “Noto’s Satoumi” was held in Kanazawa City. The purpose of this seminar was to provide a deeper understanding of the role and appeal of satoumi in the Noto Peninsula.
Approximately 60 participants attended, including fisheries stakeholders, experts from within and outside the prefecture, government officials, and local residents. This seminar also served as the kickoff event for the “Noto Satoumi Movement,” which OUIK planned to implement in the 2015 fiscal year.
At the beginning of the seminar, Mr. Minoru Kamamura from Notojima Diving Resort showcased stunning underwater footage of “Noto’s Satoumi” that he had filmed, highlighting the beautiful and rich ecosystems rarely seen by the public. He also explained how the sustainable practices of local residents maintain these healthy ecosystems.
Tsunao Watanabe, Director of UNU-IAS OUIK, discussed the concept of “a society coexisting with nature,” which was proposed at the 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. He emphasized that “satoyama” and “satoumi” embody this concept, and that Noto’s “satoyama-satoumi” has been recognized as one of the representative regions of the Global Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). He concluded with the hope that this seminar would deepen understanding of these concepts.
In the keynote speech, Professor Tetsuo Yanagisawa from Kyushu University, who first proposed the “satoumi” concept, shared the research background and developments related to satoumi both domestically and internationally. He noted that the relationship between human livelihoods and the richness and productivity of satoumi ecosystems is less well-researched than that of satoyama, emphasizing the need for further studies. He advocated for greater international attention on Japan’s satoumi research through English language publications in international conferences and academic journals.
In the panel discussion, Kazuhiko Takeuchi, Senior Vice-Rector of the United Nations University, moderated and explained that the UN University developed the concept of Social-Ecological Production Landscapes and Seascapes (SEPLS). He emphasized that satoyama and satoumi are not separate concepts; rather, their ecological and socio-economic relationships are interconnected, and understanding and researching these relationships is essential for creating high productivity.
Mr. Yasuaki Iwamoto, Chief of the Fisheries Section of Ishikawa Prefecture, introduced the current state of fisheries in Ishikawa and various traditional fishing methods. Nobuhiro Kido, President of the Ishikawa Fisheries Association and a fixed net fisherman, expressed the idea that “young people should attract other young people,” arguing that fishing must be presented as an appealing profession for younger generations by giving them leadership roles. Ko Kimura, representative of Kimura Trading Co. and an oyster farmer, cited the nutrient-rich and clean river water flowing into Nanao Bay as a factor in the successful growth of oysters, stressing the importance of forest conservation and collaboration between upstream and downstream areas. Mizuki Suhara, a member of the Nanao Bay Activities Executive Committee and representative of Notojima Diving Resort, discussed how diving can contribute to local fisheries and satoumi preservation by assisting local fishermen with inspections and cooperating with researchers on underwater surveys. Finally, Professor Toshiki Enomoto from Ishikawa Prefectural University reported on the richness of Noto’s satoumi through its fermented food culture utilizing local seafood.
In closing, Evonne Yiu, a researcher at UNU-IAS OUIK, praised the fact that Noto’s seabed is virtually free of garbage, reflecting the local community’s commitment to caring for the sea. She introduced the “Noto Satoumi Movement” for the current fiscal year, which includes hosting a series of lectures (four times a year) in the Noto region, supporting satoumi research, and promoting events to raise awareness about Noto’s appeal.
