Kyoto Danish Seine Fishery Federation snow crab and flathead flounder
Certified as sustainable 19 September 2008.
Summary
Species: Snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio), Flathead flounder (Hippoglossoides dubius)
Location: KDSFF targets both species in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone within the Sea of Japan.
Fishing methods: Danish Seine
Vessels: 15
Number of fisheries: 2
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More about snow crab and flathead flounder
Snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio)
It has been determined that there are four subpopulations of snow crab inhabiting the Japan EEZ; Okhotsk, Northern Pacific Sea, the Japan Sea and Western Hokkaido
The hatching season occurs from February to April in approximately 250m water depth, with the peak season occurring during March.The snow crab has a planktonic lifecycle stage after hatching, taking approximately 3 months until settlement.
The preferred living habitat is different according to sex with female crabs inhabiting less then 260m depths and male crabs inhabiting greater then 260m depths.
The snow crab is considered to be of a high trophic level of the food chain of deep-sea environments of Japan, as it has limited predators once mature and mainly preys on detritus and starfish.
Flathead flounder (Hippoglossoides dubius)
Flathead flounder inhabit the Japan Sea and Northern part of the Pacific around Japan. KDSFF targets the subpopulation of the Japan Sea. The spawning season for this population is February through to April and the spawning ground is the zone 180-200 depth.
Mature females live in the deeper zone of <300 m depth at summer and autumn. From late autumn to winter, mature fish congregate close to the coast and spawn around 180-200 m in depth. Juvenile fish on the other hand inhabit areas around 200 m in all seasons and only migrate to deeper zones once matured. The average length at 50% maturity is 270 mm and 100% maturity at 360 mm for male fish and 50% maturity at 170 mm and 100% maturity at 240 mm for females. The reproductive capacity is estimated at about 90,000 to 950,000 eggs for female fish with one reproductive cycle occurring per year
More about the fishing methods
A single Danish seine net is operated from each KDSFF vessel at any one time.Although KDSFF members target multiple species, they target only one type of fish species at a time. The codend size and mesh of the net varies depending on the species of fish targeted.
When fishing for flounder and snow crab it takes approximately 1-1.5 hours/haul.
Fishery tonnage
91 MT of snow crab and 220 MT of flathead flounder in 2009.
Commercial market
All product is sold domestically.
