The preservation of the sea is crucial for the Nissui Group, whose business relies on its bounties. In order to sustainably utilize marine resources, efforts to maintain the health of the sea itself and to aid its recovery, as well as resource management, are essential. To this end, we are engaged in preservation activities that take a holistic approach to the “forest, river and sea.”
It all started with a lecture titled “What oysters taught me” given at Nissui’s head office in February 2011. The lecturer, Mr. Shigeatsu Hatakeyama who was operating an oyster farm in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, taught us about “Uotsukirin (fish-breeding forest),” a traditional idea of Japanese fishers, and how abundant forests are the very source of abundant seas.
Since then, Nissui has been engaged in activities based on the concept of a coordinated preservation of the “forest, river and sea” at various locations.
Mr. Shigeatsu Hatakeyama Talking About Tree Planting to Protect the Sea
Tottori Prefecture is the home of the Nissui Group companies Yumigahama Suisan Co., Ltd., which is engaged in the aquaculture and processing businesses and Kyowasuisan Kabushiki Kaisha, a fishery company. The farming-related facility of Yumigahama Suisan is located at the foot of Mt. Senjozan which is in Daisen-Oki National Park of Kotoura Town, Tottori Prefecture and trees in certain parts of the surrounding broad-leaved forest have died and required maintenance.
On October 30, 2018, Tottori Prefecture, Kotoura Town and Nissui entered into a forest preservation and management agreement in order to preserve the surrounding 5.933 hectares of forest as the “The forest that protects spring water nurturing fish and the sea.”
On April 7, 2020, the Nissui Group was certified as a collaborative business by the Japan Committee of the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity (UNDB-J) for this forest preservation activities.
On September 28, 2019, the second preservation activities were conducted with 104 participants, including 79 employees of Nissui, Yumigahama Suisan Co., Ltd., and Kyowa Suisan Co., Ltd., and 25 persons from Tottori Prefecture, Kotoura Town, and other associations. The participants first listened to a lecture on the connection between “forest, river, and sea” and learned how forest preservation led to high-quality spring water and enriched the sea through the rivers. Subsequently, the participants entered the forest, cleared the underbrush, planted a total of 30 trees including Japanese horse chestnuts, wild cherry trees, and painted maple , and experienced first-hand the importance of protecting the forest. Nissui’s President & CEO Matono also took part in the activities and worked hard along with the participants. Later, they visited the farming-related facility of Yumigahama Suisan and saw how the spring water was being used to nurture the broodstock and learned how forest preservation was integral to the businesses of each company.
The activities turned out to be a precious experience for the participants to realize the connection between “forest, river, and sea.“ Furthermore, these exchanges with the people of Tottori Prefecture provided an opportunity for us to become familiar with the local culture and to deepen the exchange among group companies.
On August 5 and 6, 2019, Nissui, together with Yumigahama Suisan Co., Ltd. and Kyowasuisan Kabushiki Kaisha, cooperated in the Exchange meeting of Green Scouts for 2019, sponsored by the Tottori Prefecture Planting Trees Promotion Committee. 29 members of Green Scouts from the three primary schools in Yonago City, Kurayoshi City, and Yurihama Town participated in the exchange. The children listened to a lecture on the relationship between the forest, river, and sea, observed the coho salmon in the rearing tanks at the farming-related facility of Yumigahama Suisan and experienced the clearing of underbrush at the ”Forest that protects spring water nurturing fish and the sea.”
“The Utsunuki Green Zone” is a “satoyama (village forests)” adjacent to the Nissui Tokyo Innovation Center, which was built in 2011. Despite being located in the Minamino, Hachioji City, an urban area, it is inhabited by fire flies and other living organisms, making it a veritable treasury trove of nature.
Every year since 2013, activities have been conducted, under the instruction of the “Utsunuki-Midori-no-Kai,” to preserve the natural environment in areas surrounding the business location and to promote co-existence with the regional community. The activities begin with a classroom lecture at the log house within the zone, in which participants learn about the connection between the “forest, river and sea,” as well as the flora and fauna of the "satoyama," which is followed by various tasks such as mowing the underbrush in the "satoyama.”
On June 15, 2019, activities were held for the seventh time and 34 employees and their families participated. Although it rained on that day, the participants enjoyed the natural environment of the green zone by taking part in activities such as observing plants, bamboo crafts and artwork using pressed leaves.
Nissui has been a supporting member of “Utsunuki-Midori-no-Kai” since fiscal 2015.