Japan exports of sea cucumbers totalled 22.9 billion yen (US$207 million) in 2017, with most of them shipped to Hong Kong and mainland China
With the poaching of sea cucumbers in Japan showing no sign of abating as the delicacy sells well in China, the government is considering establishing a system to ensure proof of authorised harvest is presented when they are exported.
Sea cucumbers from Hokkaido, the northernmost main island of Japan, are particularly popular in the Chinese market, while poaching has been reported in other parts of the country including the prefectures of Aomori in the northeast and Hiroshima in the west.
According to Japan Finance Ministry’s trade statistics, the country’s exports of sea cucumbers totalled 22.9 billion yen (US$207 million) in 2017, with most of them shipped to Hong Kong and mainland China. Processed items were traded at around 27,000 yen per kilogram.
To deal with the poaching situation, the Fisheries Agency is considering obliging sea cucumber exporters to present to customs officials certificates of origin issued by fisheries cooperatives to prove where the marine animals were fished. The agency treats sea cucumbers as a crucial export item along with scallops and pearls.
