The heavy rains that fell in northern Kyushu during July meant a poor catch of jellyfish known as bizen kurage (rhopilema esculentum or flame jellyfish) in the Ariake Sea. The low number of jellyfish, which is a common ingredient in high-end Chinese cuisine, is said to be linked to the volume of fresh water that had run into the body of water from the Chikugo River. The news comes as a blow to locals engaged in the fishing industry who rely on catching jellyfish as a major source of income. Demand for the bizen kurage is increasing in China and it is usually caught from July to September, but heavy rains fell on the day when fishing was due to start. The center that promotes fisheries in Ariake confirmed that hardly any jellyfish have been found, causing a number of people to suspend their fishing activities. Tough conditions are predicted to continue and researchers are unsure on how research on jellyfish will progress. Source: Mainichi Shimbun, 8/17/2017
Photo: Daiju Azuma
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