23JAN2018 (01:18 UTC-07 Tango 06) 03 Bahman 1396/06 Jumada l-Ula 1439/07 Xin-Chou (12th month) 4715
“A series of unfortunate events.”-Shingo Kimura, Professor of the Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Frontier Sciences
Elvers caught off Maine, U.S.A.
In Nippon (Japan) baby eels, known as Glass Eels or Elvers, are captured in the wild and then raised in fish farms. It’s such big business in Japan that even Republic of China (Taiwan) is involved. But this year there are almost no baby eels to catch, either around Japan or Taiwan!
It’s actually been like that since last year, a measly 0.2 metric tons were caught in December! One eel catcher was followed by NHK (Nippon Housou Kyoukai/Japan Broadcasting Corporation) on his hunting trip. He worked for hours and caught 11 eels, his normal catch is in the hundreds!
2013 was considered a record low year for eel catches (5.2 tons), but this year is about to set a new record low. 1963 was the best year for eel catches, hitting 232 tons!
The disappearing eels are driving up prices, currently the equivalent of $32-thousand-650-hundred USD per kilogram (2.2 pounds)!
Professor Shingo Kimura blames it on a combination of overfishing and climate change.
What appears to be a sudden near-extinction of eels around Japan and Taiwan could bring a boost to eel catchers working off the coastline of Maine, in the United States. The state of Maine has just increased the number of glass eel/elver fishing licenses, to 425. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is also considering increasing the allowed catch beyond its current 4399.8 kilograms (9,700 pounds), in response to not only disappearing eels in Asia, but in Europe as well.
U.S. FOOD CRISIS, DECEMBER 2017: “WE GAVE IT A SHOT, IT JUST DIDN’T WORK.” “WE’RE LITERALLY WORKING FOR NOTHING.”
JAPAN FOOD CRISIS: WHAT GLOBAL WARMING?
FOOD CRISIS JAPAN: BLACK SWAN DEATHS REVEAL BIRD FLU EPIDEMIC
FOOD CRISIS: NO MORE MCDONALD’S, JAPAN STYLE? 131 RESTAURANTS SHUTTING DOWN DUE TO LACK OF FOOD?
FUKUSHIMA – WIPP – RADIATION FALLOUT: WILD FOOD CROPS CONTAMINATED, BANNED FROM SALE!