Japan: Seafood caught off Fukushima goes on sale for first time since disaster

Japan Today ^ | 06/25/12 | Yuri Kageyama

[TigerLikesRooster]

Seafood caught off Fukushima goes on sale for first time since disaster

By Yuri Kageyama

National Jun. 25, 2012 - 08:50PM JST ( 50 )

TOKYO —

The first seafood caught off Japan’s Fukushima coastline since last year’s nuclear disaster went on sale Monday, but the offerings were limited to octopus and marine snails because of persisting fears about radiation.

Octopus and whelk, a kind of marine snail, were chosen for the initial shipments because testing for radioactive cesium consistently measured no detectable amounts, according to the Fukushima Prefectural fishing cooperative. They were caught Friday and boiled so they last longer while being tested for radiation before they could be sold Monday.

Flounder, sea bass and other fish from Fukushima can’t be sold yet because of contamination. It was unclear when they will be approved for sale as they measure above the limit in radiation set by the government. The government is testing for radioactive iodine as well, but its half-life is shorter than cesium and thus is less worrisome.

“It was crisp when I bit into it, and it tasted so good,” said Yasuhiro Yoshida, who oversees the seafood section at York Benimaru supermarket in Soma, which sold out of about 30 kilograms of the snails and 40 kilograms of the octopus that had been shipped to the store.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Believe it or not, lots of Japanese will eat it.

The other day, the wife of Ichiro Ozawa, a power-broker in ruling party, announced that she would be filing for divorce, saying to the effect that she can put up with his womanizing but cannot stand his cowardice of "trying to run away from Tokyo for fear of radioactive stuffs wafting out of Fukushima nuclear plant." There was a similar episode in Fukushima after the reactor explosion. A guy was busy stocking up food and bottled water, then suggeted to his wife that they should leave. His wife said she couldn't stand such a cowardly behavior and said to have divorced him. Well, these women could have issues with their husband for some time. Still it is alarming that they believe radiation is something they can tough out. Their husbands are right to be worried, and these women are totally clueless.

I am sure they will buy lots of seafood from Fukushima, and say, "Problem? What problem?"

[TigerLikesRooster]

P!

[TigerLikesRooster]

[Puppage]

[ontap]

[MrB]

If this goes according to most comic book storylines,

we’re all gonna turn into some version of “Aquaman”.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Fukishima seafood, Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm!!!

[Snickering Hound]

[Noumenon]

Cool. Drop that scallop under your table in a low-lit restaurant, and you’ll be able to find it in under the “5-second rule” guideline.

[JPG]

Any leftovers can be used as a nightlight.

[G Larry]

Oh...so I wasn’t the first FReeper to think of Energy Saving Sushi Bars, with “glow in the dark” menu items....?

[bgill]

When she loses her hair and the kids get sick, let’s see how tough she is then.

[ransomnote]

I think the title of the article could have been a little more honest. During tuna fishing, the boats working off the coast of Fukushima sailed right past Fukushima’s port with their catch and went to more distant ports to sell it. Fukushima port was empty of boats and fish sellers etc - they all went to other ports too. The fishermen avoided their usual port because knew they could not sell their catch for a good price if it was stamped ‘Fukushima’ and by sailing to other ports instead, their catch would be stamped with the name of the other port.

So I think that this article is about SOME fish markets and sellers finally admitting the fish they sell are from Fukushima.

“Radioactive fish - its not just for school lunches anymore.”

[justa-hairyape]

The cooperative that represents the fisherman, is the organization that tested the seafood. They used three samples to make their claims of safe radiation. No description of the samples was given from what I have seen. So you sample very young organisms that have not had time to build up radiation, and viola, you are making money again baby !

Clearly we cannot trust crony governments or crony cooperatives to keep us safe.

[AmericanInTokyo]

This will be great for romantic dinners at home with all the lights off (two birds with one stone, can also save on electricity which will be cut back in Japan during the summer)....