By Minako Aima
Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer
Many people have increased expectations for full-life cycle aquaculture of mackerel in Japan, as price hikes are turning the traditional everyday fish into a luxury item.
Domestic mackerel prices have hit a record high this year, driven by declining domestic catches and a fishing quota cut in Norway — Japan's largest supplier — of nearly 50%.
According to the Retail Price Survey by the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry, the average retail price of mackerel at supermarkets and other retailers in Osaka City has hovered around 140 yen per 100 grams in recent years. However, prices began rising in December 2025, reaching 185 yen in February — the highest since surveys for the fish began in 1991.
A major reason for the trend of price hikes is that Norway has reduced its quota for mackerel caught in the country in order to conserve resources. Mackerel caught in Norway account half of Japan's imports of the fish. The quota dropped to about 84,000 tons this year, nearly half of last year's amount. Domestic catches are also declining, dropping to about 256,000 tons in 2024, which is under 20% of the peak recorded in 1978.
The prices of processed products are also increasing. Hagoromo Foods Corp. plans to raise the recommended retail price for four of its canned mackerel products from 275 yen to 335 yen, excluding tax, starting for shipments from June 1.
"A combination of factors, such as overfishing and the effects of global warming, has led to restrictions on catch quotas," said Nobuyuki Yagi, a project professor who specializes in fisheries economics at the University of Tokyo. "Another reason for the price surge is Japan's declining purchasing power for mackerel due to the yen's depreciation, compounded by the growing global demand for fish."
Under these circumstances, full-cycle aquaculture is attracting attention as a stable source of supply.
On May 15, Kura Sushi Inc., a major conveyor-belt sushi operator, began offering sushi using chub mackerel from full-life cycle aquaculture at 75 stores in Osaka and Kyoto prefectures. The sushi is priced at 350 yen, tax included, for two pieces, and the offer will end once supplies run out.
Kura Sushi began farming chub mackerel in Uwajima, Ehime Prefecture, in 2024. The company utilizes artificial intelligence to manage feeding schedules and quantities, which enabled them to raise about 5,000 fish to a size exceeding 700 grams — nearly three times the size of typical mackerel. Kura Sushi aims to increase its annual shipment to 20,000 fish by 2028. "We want customers to be able to enjoy mackerel at a reasonable price, even though the fish has become increasingly out of reach," said a Kura Sushi official in charge of the matter.
Meanwhile, mass deaths of farmed mackerel have been occurring due to rising sea temperatures, prompting aquaculture firms and fishermen to respond to the issue.
One such company is Tashima Boring, a firm based in Tottori City operating aquaculture businesses that use groundwater. Since 2023, the company has been selling mackerel raised in land-based facilities by using seawater pumped from wells drilled near the coast. The company says it can maintain low temperatures even in the height of summer. "Demand for land-based aquaculture is rising due to the deterioration of the marine environment," said President Daisuke Tashima.
Another move is taking place in Obama, Fukui Prefecture, which was once a major hub for catching mackerel. Fishermen in the city have teamed up with Fukui Prefectural University to develop a new artificial seedling by crossbreeding chub mackerel, which has a good reputation for its taste, with blue mackerel, which is heat tolerant.
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This article is from The Yomiuri Shimbun. Neither Dow Jones Newswires, MarketWatch, Barron's nor The Wall Street Journal were involved in the creation of this content.
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