River fishing limits remain 11 years after nuclear disaster

River fishing limits remain 11 years after nuclear disaster

By Keitaro Fukuchi and Nobuyuki Takiguchi

Source: THE ASAHI SHIMBUN

3/7/2022

Credit: Keitaro Fukuchi

A sign along the Manogawa river that runs through Minami-Soma, Fukushima Prefecture, is faded, but the message is clear--and perhaps unnecessary.

“Regulations have yet to be lifted,” it says. “Please do not conduct fishing activities.”

The sign is located on a riverbank about 30 kilometers north of the stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant run by Tokyo Electric Power Co.

The area used to be crowded with people trying to catch “ayu” (sweetfish). But anglers from near and far stopped visiting the area long ago, and now, hardly anyone is around to see the sign.

After the 2011 nuclear disaster, a local association of fisheries cooperative set up the “no fishing” signs at about 50 locations along the river.

Calls to suspend shipments of river fish and to refrain from fishing have continued since the nuclear disaster started 11 years ago, even for rivers outside the Tohoku region