Although on-board marine surveys have been carried out by local governments for more than half a century, from now on they must be carried out based on a perspective in which the responsibilities of the national government, local governments, and the private sector are clearly defined. We would hope that the national government would take action, including budget measures, to improve conditions for marine surveys in the country's territorial waters and EEZ and respond to the crisis facing the maintenance of marine data, which is the cornerstone for making Japan a maritime state.

Aiming at making Iwate a "maritime prefecture, Ethe Guideline for Promoting Marine Industries along the Sanriku Coast was compiled in 2009 to help revive marine industries, and the Iwate Ocean Research Consortium was established, centering on the network of ocean research institutes in the prefecture's coastal area, to promote ocean research. As these efforts represent initiatives to realize the philosophy of the Basic Act on Ocean Policy at the regional level, we hope to receive the support of all those involved.

In the past, the fishing industry in Tokyo Bay meant "utase Efishing from wooden boats. However, the 1700 vessels in the fleet at its peak are now no longer to be seen. With the decline in seaweed beds, the move to off-shore fishing, and the shift from wind power to engines, the sails, which were the symbol of the utase fishing boats, have disappeared. We believe however, that utase fishing boats might well serve as a savior for today's Tokyo Bay, and thus are considering how they might be revived.