Assistance is being given for the recovery of oyster farming in the tsunami-affected region of Tohoku District’s Emmaus Ishinomaki Support Center. According to the report of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the oyster culture facilities of the Ishinomaki area were almost all severely damaged by the great earthquake and tsunami in 2011. Over a year later, only 20 percent of the facilities were back in operation. It is an extremely serious situation.

However, in the midst of all this, the desire for recovery is more evident. Recently, through the introduction by a member of the Kyodan’s Ishinomaki Eiko Church, recovery work was done at Oginohama, one of Oshika Peninsula’s many inlets.

In the Oshika Peninsula region, the method of culturing oysters is to lower into the sea nets containing oyster shells on which young oysters are attached. The work is separated into several processes, which are carefully taught to the volunteers. The people to whom the volunteers are sent carefully explain the stages of the work, and as they learn each step, the volunteers diligently and patiently perform the necessary manual tasks.

From July the work of placing the prepared nets in the sea began in earnest. Eight to ten volunteers worked almost every day to position the nets. The year before, due to the lack of materials and harvest-preservation issues, preparation could not be completed before the start of the season. This year, in order not to miss the shipping date, the fishery cooperative is proceeding with the construction of a refrigeration facility, which is expected to be completed during the season.

One volunteer staff member expressed thanks by saying that it is a great honor to work to support the oyster fishery, which provides an important part of the nation’s traditional diet, and to the support the people living in Oginohama to continue, unbroken, the tradition of oyster farming that has been handed down to them. (Tr.GM)

Shinto no Tomo (Believers’ Friend), October 2012 issue

被災地の産業復興として牡蠣の養殖のお手伝い

東北教区被災地支援センター「エマオ石巻」では今、牡蠣の養殖のお 手伝いをしています。

農林水産省の調べでは石巻の「牡蠣養殖施設」は今回の地震と津波で ほぼ全施設が被災し、一年以上を経た現在も、養殖業を再開したのは２割強に留まるという、極めて深刻な状況です。

しかし、そうした中でも復興への意欲が戻りつつあり、今回は石巻栄 光教会の教会員の紹介を経て、牡鹿半島の入り組んだ入り江の一つ、「荻浜」で支援ワークが実現しました。

牡鹿半島で行われている牡蠣の養殖は、稚貝の付いた貝殻を縄に通し 海中に垂下する「垂下式牡蠣養殖法」です。作業は細かい工程に分かれており、ボランティアたちはワーク先のお宅の方から、そ の作業内 容を一つひとつていねいに教わりながら、黙々と根気と人手の必要な作業をこなしています。

この束ねた垂下連は、7月より本格的に海に出す作業が始まり、8～10人くらいのボランティアがほぼ毎日、取り組みました。昨年は資材不足 や保管方法など、養殖開始の目処がつきませんでしたが、今年は出荷に欠かせない漁協の保管用冷蔵庫の建設が進められており、 シーズン 中には完成する予定とのことです。

スタッフの一人はこの漁業支援のワークを通じて、「私たちの生活に 深く関わる食、そして荻浜に住む人々が昔から生活の営みとして連綿と受け継いできた漁業に、ワークを通じて関わることができ たことは 本当に光栄なことで、貴重な体験です」と感想を述べています。（信徒の友10月号）