Harvesting Kanazawa’s Marine Bounty (Video)

The Freshest of Seafood for Kanazawa’s Tables

Off the coast of Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, where the warm Tsushima Current and the cold Liman Current mingle, the deep waters are clear and nutrient-rich. This makes the area prime fishing grounds home to a great variety of marine life.

Kanazawa residents love seafood and they especially look forward to September every year, when the trawl net fishing season begins. Trawl net fishing, which uses funnel-shaped nets lowered deep into the sea and dragged along by boats, is not allowed in July and August, so seafood enthusiasts eagerly await the start of the season. The fishing boats leave port in the middle of the night or early morning and return in late afternoon or evening, so the freshly caught fish is available for sale the next day.

Auctioning off the catch.

The fishing boats start returning to Kanazawa Port in the early evening hours. Their catch is mainly pink shrimp but also includes deep sea smelt, sea bream, sandfish, and other species. Around 7:30, the auction at the Ishikawa Prefecture Fishing Cooperative’s Kanazawa wholesale market kicks off, the auctioneers’ voices ringing through the premises. The market stands ready to land and distribute catches at all hours of the day to guarantee that fish will reach stores and restaurants at the peak of freshness.

The auctioneer’s booming voice fills the air.

The day after the auction, the fish stalls at Ōmichō market, festooned with signs announcing the first catch of the trawl net season, display an impressive selection of seafood.

Customers stand in front of the stalls, pondering what to buy for the evening meal. “Shall I serve this shrimp as sashimi, or should I simmer it in a sweetened soy sauce broth?” The mouth-watering selection encourages them to spend more than usual today, and tonight they’ll enjoy the bounty of the sea and dream of more delicious seafood to come.

Different kinds of shrimp are laid out for sale.

Customers eagerly wait to buy the first catch of the season.

Pink shrimp can be enjoyed either as sashimi or simmered in sweetened soy sauce.

(Originally written in Japanese. Created in cooperation with Kanazawa Cable Television. Banner photo:Fishermen unloading the catch after a trawl net boat returns to port. All photos © Kanazawa Cable Television.)