Fukusashimi - Fishy Business in Global Seafood Economy

I came across an article in a newspaper yesterday that is quite disturbing. The article related to Cleanseas, a publicly listed company in the business of fish farming that is based in South Australia.

A bit about the company -

Cleanseas experience and understanding of the premium Japanese sashimi markets encouraged the development of a fish farming operation which could deliver the highest quality fin-fish to the most discerning markets in the world. By focussing our efforts on three indigenous local species; Yellowtail Kingfish, Mulloway and Southern Bluefin Tuna, we have been able to develop a family of fish which are not only produced by world’s best-practice methods, but which are also undeniably delicious.

Cleanseas farm fish in open water sea cages and their entire Kingfish stocks have recently been almost completely wiped out by a mystery illness they describe as 'Gut Enteritis'.

A MYSTERY illness causing the death of its yellowtail kingfish will add at least $17.5 million to Clean Seas Tuna's full-year loss.The company said yesterday the gut enteritis problem affecting its kingfish had worsened since February and had so far wiped out 38 per cent of its 2012 stock.To make matters worse, experts had found that fish that survive the illness were being hit by secondary infestations due to their weakened health

This is disturbing for a number of reasons-

- Farmed fish are prone to developing new exotic deseases and the fact that these fish are farmed in open water in the middle of prime natural habitat for Kingfish means the entire species could be in danger.
- Alternatively, if this desease has come from outside the farm, the fact it is described as enteritis is concerning because in humans a major triggering factor for enteritis is radiation exposure.
- Most concerning of all is the fact this article appeared in the business section of the Newspaper and its focus was on the concern for profit write downs and falling share prices rather than on the potential enviromental/ecological disaster. Not to worry though, the company is going to try manipulate the spawning season to bring it forward and hopefully lessen the impact of losses. It does admit though that there are some biological risks involved in doing this but these risks are apparently worth taking.

Like many other fish farmers, their product is sold under trademarked Japanese names to appeal to the market in Japan and after looking at the global trade in fish and fish products its easy to see why. It is also easy to see why there is silence on the mounting evidence of widespread contamination of the Pacific Ocean from the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster.


Based on 2010 figures-
*The fisheries industry supports through direct employment and their dependants approx 540million people or 8%of the worlds population
*The Global fishing fleet is made up of 4.3million vessells with the majority based in Asia
*International Trade in fish represents a significant source of foreign currency earnings. The export value of world trade in fish is more than the value of net exports of rice, coffee, sugar and tea
*53% of fish stocks are now considered to be fully exploited, 32% are over exploited, and there is only 3% which is considered under exploited. The remainder is classed as various degrees of depleted
*Since the 1970's, Japan has been the world’s largest single national importer of fish and fishery products with 15% of world trade going to Japan.

Fish provides an average of 15.7% of the animal protein in our diets but this figure is much, much higher in many developing countries. If the oceans are contaminated as badly as many reports are suggesting then the result will be catastrophic to say the least. The only question will be whether the biggest killer ends up being starvation or radiation poisoning.

This from Nicholas Fisher, an aptly named marine scientist if ever there was one..,

"I would probably be hesitant to eat a lot of those fish," said Nicholas Fisher, a marine sciences professor at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Cesium was especially prevalent in certain of the species:
• 73 per cent of mackerel tested

• 91 per cent of the halibut

• 92 per cent of the sardines

• 93 per cent of the tuna and eel

• 94 per cent of the cod and anchovies

• 100 per cent of the carp, seaweed, shark and monkfish

Some of the fish were caught in Japanese coastal waters. Other catches were made hundreds of kilometres away in the open ocean.

There, the fish also can be caught by fishers from dozens of other nations who fish in the waters of the Pacific.

Yet, Japan is the only country that appears to be systematically testing fish for radiation

This raises certain questions about Japan. One thing you will never see Japan winning is an international awards in recognition of the efforts in conservation, especially when it comes to the Ocean, There main contribution to the conservation of our oceans is their annual scientific expedition down to Australian waters where they slaughter large numbers of whales including the endangered humpback. Despite widespread condemnation, Japan is allowed to continue this annual slaughter because they claim it is scientific research. Unfortunately, this research has so far failed to produce one single bit of useful data except maybe which method of harpooning is quickest and most accurate to secure the beast before Greenpeace gets in the way.

There is nothing in the Ocean that the Japanese do not eat. Whales, Jellyfish, Eels, Raw fish (sashimi) wrapped in sea-weed, Cooked fish of any kind including the extremely toxic puffer fish served in Japan as Fugu. Nothing goes to waste.

If it were proven beyond all reasonable doubt that the contamination from Fukushima truly is as bad as it possibly could be, worst possible is a worst case scenario the world does come to the realisation that the nuclear disaster in Japan is responsible for turning half the Ocean into a toxic Fugu soup, who should be held responsible and what should be done to protect the remaining fish stocks? Should the commercial fishing industry be shut down so fish stocks could be managed and a 'fair share' be rationed to nations that rely on it for survival? Would Japan have exceeded its fair share? Given that there is already evidence of contamination, does Japan now have a moral obligation to cease activities such as whaling humpacks and start showing a more conservative approach.

What do you think?

As a start, I think Tepco should have its assets seized, sold off, and the profits used to help people in Japan and around the world affected by the disaster. In the interest of fairness, the same goes for BP.

Of course, none of these questions will ever need to be addressed because there is nothing to see here. Fish have always had three eyes, two heads and a green glow. Move along...

reply to post by Seagle


I don't have very much to add - this was a great thread and a well-constructed one!

Since the BP disaster, I've stayed away from seafood because of how many peoples' incomes are supported by the Gulf - there was absolutely zero reason, economically-speaking, to convey any form of concern for fish quality. Once the Fukushima disaster hit, I simply assumed I would no longer be alone in my avoidance of seafood, but the echo is deafening.

In the grande scheme, people often believe whatever they may have the easiest time believing. The more information you correctly respond to, the healthier you will be.

Star and Flag
I too have quit eating my favorite food and that is seafood and sushi. Unless I know it is from local eastern Atlantic waters, I will go without. Of course the problem comes from replacing meals with what??? Beef pork or chicken? I am thinking about eating meat rabbits.....home grown in my own backyard....but then of course alfalfa is becoming GMO owned......

Thanks OP. I stopped eating my favorite food, japanese food, last summer when I learned the truth about Fukushima - and I really miss it! Of course that issue is miniscule compared with the issues of the Japanese such as schoolkids having to clean up radioactively contaminated areas:

fukushima-diary.com...

I hope karma exists for those that perpetuate the Fukushima coverup, there and around the world.

I only eat Atlantic fish now and some freshwater fish like trout, etc.

reply to post by Seagle


Thanks for the info. I will no longer be ordering Fukushima rolls at the local Japanese restaurant.

I work at a sushi restaurant and this has been on my mind lately..
I read that levels of radiation were three times higher in albacore off the California coast but still under the
"acceptable limits"

Weird how there is minimal talk of this subject though.

reply to post by Seagle


One problem with your theory.

Cleanseas sell absolutely no Kingfish to Japan. Only Southern Bluefin Tuna. I know because I work closely with this company.

Regarding the disease of their fish.....anything is possible and I wouldn't rule it out. I would say that bottom feeding fish and crustaceans would be more susceptible to contamination than school fish but in all honesty I think the ocean is screwed. They're still continually dumping radioactive water into the ocean.....even this very second.

Also, please provide links to the articles you are referencing.

reply to post by Seagle


thanks for looking out. this doesn't get enough attention. I continually send out that website showing the percent of contaminated fish to people I know who think things are just hunky dory. Keep up the good work.