We were shown glass eel fishing in the Hitotsuse River in Miyazaki Prefecture!

The glass eel fishing season in Japan is roughly from December to April, and wild glass eels are also caught in various places during this season. On February 14, 2023, Professor Hiroshi Hakoyama visited the glass eel fishery at the Miyazaki Prefectural Inland Water Progression Center, a partner organization of the Fisheries Agency’s Project Eel Unit. The Miyazaki Prefectural Inland Water Progression Center not only conducts glass eel fishing to ensure a stable supply of glass eels in the prefecture, but also cracks down on poachers. This time, under the guidance of Director Hayashida, we boarded this patrol boat and were able to observe the fishing of five of the Center’s boats engaged in bag net fishing in the Hitotsuse River. They set their nets while watching the timing of the incoming tide. Although they were not able to catch a large number of glass eels this season due to poor catches, we were able to see the fishing in action. At the Fisheries Agency’s Eel Unit, the Institute of Freshwater Biology and the Miyazaki Prefectural Inland Waters Progression Center collaborate on a wide range of research projects, including glass eel migration surveys, DNA sample collection, fisheries data and satellite tagging.