Autumn salmon catch poor due to heat

Rising seawater temperatures around Japanese islands seem to be affecting the autumn catch of salmon.

Net fishing for salmon has begun in the Sea of Ohhotsk, off Hokkaido, northern Japan. The first day's catch was less than half the comparable amount last year.

Four fishing boats that returned to the port of Monbetsu from offshore fishing grounds early on Saturday unloaded slightly more than 2,000 salmon, less than half the amount on the first day of last year's season.

The salmon traded at prices slightly higher than those of the average year.

A fishermen's cooperative said seawater temperatures in the ocean are 2 to 3 degrees higher than usual, a condition that keeps salmon away from fishing sites.

The cooperative said the smaller catch on the first day makes members nervous about how large the season's total catch would be.

Salmon fishing will continue until late November.

The saury catch is also poor in waters around Hokkaido for the same reason.