The ban on freshwater clam fishing, which announces the arrival of spring, was lifted on the 11th at "Lake Jusanko" in the Tsugaru region of Aomori prefecture, which is known as one of the leading clam producing areas in Japan.
Facing Goshogawara City and Tsugaru City in Aomori Prefecture, "Lake Jusanko" is a brackish water lake where the freshwater of the Iwaki River and the seawater of the Sea of Japan are mixed, and is one of the leading clam producing areas in Japan.
On the 11th, the ban on freshwater clam fishing was lifted on the lake, and 150 fishing boats belonging to the local fishery cooperative departed all at once toward the fishing grounds at 7 am.
Fishers used a long-handled basket called "joren" to scoop up the clams on the bottom of the lake while slowly advancing the boat.
The maximum daily catch for freshwater clams in Lake Jusanko is set at 140 kg per ship, and the fishermen who return to the port will pick up pebbles in the work hut after being confirmed by the staff of the fishery cooperative. I was doing the sorting work by removing it and making it the same size.
Takeya Kajiura, the head of the Jusan Fisheries Cooperative Association, said, "I think it was a reasonable catch for the day when the ban was lifted. I hope that the temperature will rise and we will be able to get even better quality clams." I did.
Lake Jusanko's clam fishing will continue until October 15th, excluding the summer spawning season, with the aim of catching 800 tons.