The ban on Ise lobster fishing was lifted in Mie Prefecture, and the first catch of the season was held on the morning of the 2nd at the fishing port in Shima City.
Ise lobster fishing in Mie Prefecture, which boasts one of the largest catches in Japan, was lifted on the 1st, except for some remote islands that had already been lifted, and the full-scale catch began on the morning of the 2nd.
At the Wagu fishing port in Shima City, seven fishing boats returned to the port one after another from around 6:30 a.m., and the nets covered with spiny lobster were pulled up one after another.
Then, they were transported to the workshop, where the fishermen's families carefully removed them one by one from the net using special tools so as not to damage their legs and whiskers.
The amount of catches on the first two days of the ban was about 200 kg, which was less than usual for the first day, and was traded at an average of about 5,800 yen per kg.
Yoshitaka Ogawa, chairman of the Wagu Ebi Net Association, which is made up of Ise ebi lobster fishermen, said, "I feel that the number of catches has been decreasing over the past few years due to the 'isoyake' caused by the meandering Kuroshio Current, but this season too, I want to do my best. The taste is the best."
Ise lobster fishing in Mie Prefecture will continue until the end of April next year.