Declining marine resources and unstable landings due to climate change

「Although the downward trend in wild fish landings continued, fresh fish handling volumes were maintained at the previous year's level because of increased Pacific saury landings and higher demand for farmed fish. Meanwhile, although handling volumes of frozen processing materials for frozen food manufacturers declined due to high market prices, handling volumes of frozen processed products such as shrimp, crab and salmon for mass retailers and the foodservice industry increased, resulting in higher sales.」

「単価高の影響とともに、数量面においても天然魚の水揚げ減少傾向が続くなか、サンマの水揚増、養殖魚の需要増により生鮮魚の取扱い数量は前年並みを確保した」

「Although landings of fresh fish declined due to changes in fishing seasons and grounds, handling volumes of frozen products increased as demand from mass retailers, the foodservice industry and inbound visitors continued to recover, resulting in a year-on-year increase in total marine product trading volumes.」

「The impact of lower landing volumes caused by changes in fishing seasons and grounds also contributed to a year-on-year decline in marine product trading volumes in wholesale markets.」

「Under these circumstances, in the marine products wholesale business, our group's core business, sales of shrimp and crab performed well. However, operating profit declined year on year due to falling market prices for frozen tuna and scallops, lower landing volumes of domestic wild-caught fish caused by changes in the marine environment, and the impact on exports of the release of ALPS-treated water into the ocean.」

「Although the decline in trading volumes of wild-caught popular fish and other products was offset by higher unit prices, sales declined year on year due to the dissolution of Chiba Chuo Uorui Co., Ltd. in January 2023.」

「Under these circumstances, in the marine products wholesale business, our group's core business, unit prices rose, but trading volumes declined due to lower landings of wild-caught popular fish and other species, resulting in sales remaining at the previous year's level.」

「Rising seawater temperatures, rising sea levels and extreme weather events caused by climate change are reducing marine resources and making fishing activities more difficult, leading to procurement difficulties and higher raw material prices. Climate change also increases the risk of marine pollution and red tides, which may reduce food safety and significantly affect our group's operations and business performance.」

「The environment surrounding the marine products wholesale market has changed significantly, owing to declining catches of wild marine products, reduced arrivals of salmon, trout, roe and other products from Russia, intensifying procurement competition due to rising international demand for marine products, and diversification of marine product distribution outside wholesale markets. A flexible response is considered necessary.」

「Under these circumstances, the marine products wholesale business, our group's core business, faced soaring prices for some wild-caught species due to poor catches caused by changes in fishing grounds believed to result from rising seawater temperatures and damage to fisheries from red tides. Prices of marine products also rose in line with strong overseas markets, and the arrival of imported products was delayed due to the effects of COVID-19. However, sales to the foodservice sector gradually recovered, while sales to mass retailers and overseas markets for premium products and other items continued to perform well.」

「Sales declined in the marine products wholesale business, which faced difficult procurement conditions, although newly installed refrigeration facilities contributed to higher sales. This was attributable to increasingly unstable arrivals caused by the decline in marine resources and adverse weather conditions, including major typhoons.」

「The marine products wholesale market industry, in which our group operates its core business, experienced unstable arrivals because, in addition to the decline in marine resources, adverse weather conditions such as major typhoons made fluctuations between good and poor catches more pronounced by species.」

「In our group's core domestic marine products wholesale business, poor catches of popular fish such as Pacific saury, squid and chum salmon affected sales.」

「In addition to the global decline in marine resources and tighter fishing restrictions to conserve resources, rising international demand for marine products, driven by growing health consciousness, has made collection and sales difficult.」

「Unstable arrivals of fresh fish, particularly popular fish, due to adverse weather conditions resulted in sales of ¥93,127 million, down 4.1% year on year.」

「Under these circumstances, unstable landings of marine products resulted in sales of ¥46,797 million, down 5.9% year on year. Despite efforts to reduce collection and selling expenses, personnel expenses and other costs, operating profit fell 39.3% year on year to ¥163 million, ordinary profit fell 52.3% to ¥182 million, and profit attributable to owners of the parent fell 56.9% to ¥80 million, owing to the decline in gross profit.」

「The marine products wholesale market industry, in which our group operates its core business, experienced unstable arrivals because climate change has affected changes in fishing grounds and seasons for fish and shellfish, and because fluctuations between good and poor catches have become more pronounced by species in recent years.」

「The marine products wholesale market industry, in which our group operates its core business, continues to face a difficult operating environment. The global decline in resources and changes in fishing grounds and seasons are affecting the distribution of marine products, while consumers remain strongly inclined to economize.」

「The marine products wholesale market industry, in which our group operates its core business, continues to face a difficult operating environment. Trading volumes have continued to trend downward due to the global decline in marine resources and changes in fishing grounds and seasons, while consumer sentiment remains weak.」

「Although landings of nearshore species such as squid and yellowtail declined during the year-end period, the year's largest sales season, sales remained at the previous year's level because prices rose sharply, particularly for key year-end products such as sea urchin, pufferfish and crab.」

「Sales fell below the previous year because trading in major products such as tuna declined, while landings of seasonal products and popular fish, including Pacific saury, chum salmon and Japanese flying squid, were poor due to recent changes in weather conditions.」

「In addition to the global decline in marine resources and tighter fishing restrictions to conserve resources, changes in the marine environment, including rising seawater temperatures due to climate change, have significantly altered fishing grounds and seasons, making landings unstable.」