Fukushima Fishermen Start Test Runs For Radiation
This video is from last year. That's what's so horrible about these manmade disasters: the destruction extends to so many people who make their living from the sea, and all the jobs and businesses related to that. I have to wonder if we can
[oldembed src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Xt-DcZ8YWX4?rel=0" width="400" height="300" resize="1" fid="21"]
This video is from last year.
That's what's so horrible about these manmade disasters: the destruction extends to so many people who make their living from the sea, and all the jobs and businesses related to that. I have to wonder if we can even trust governments to tell the truth about the extent of the damage:
SOMA, Fukushima Prefecture--Fishermen in this northeastern city set out on a trial fishing operation on June 14 in hopes of resuming their work after voluntarily refraining from going to sea following the Fukushima nuclear disaster last year.
The fishermen came home with their first catch in 15 months amid positive expectations and fears of negative publicity.
Six trawlers of the Soma-Futaba fishermen's union left Matsukawaura Port in Soma around 1 a.m. and headed for waters near the border of Miyagi Prefecture, about 50 kilometers to the northeast.
They caught two species of octopus and one sea snail species from depths of more than 150 meters. No radioactive substances were detected in those species during monitoring surveys after the March 2011 disaster at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
The catches will be screened for radioactive content, before and after processing by boiling. The catches will not be for sale.
The results of the inspections will be presented June 18 to a meeting of the heads of fishermen's unions under the umbrella of the Fukushima Prefectural Federation of Fisheries Co-operative Associations. If product safety is confirmed, trial fishing will again be held on June 20 and 27, for the same three species.
If no problem is found during post-processing inspections, the catches will be shipped to markets in Fukushima Prefecture, Tokyo and Nagoya to gauge how consumers will respond.
"I felt so tense because I hadn't gone out fishing in quite a long time," said Hiroyuki Sato, a 56-year-old member of the Soma-Futaba fishermen's union who led the fleet of trawlers. "I am filled with deep emotion because we have managed to come so far. I hope no radioactive substances will be detected."
Meanwhile, the Japanese prime minister has ordered the restart of two nuclear reactors.