In order to promote efforts to increase the consumption of fisheries products through the cooperation of public and private sectors, the Fisheries Agency has designated the third to seventh of every month as "Fish Day" based on the concept of "Fish + Sustainability,” with the third to seventh of November specifically being designated as "Good Fish Day" to strengthen activities to increase consumption of marine products by supporting members. As of the end of February 2023, the number of supporting companies and organizations who have become members of “Fish Day” has reached 709, and they implement initiatives to increase the consumption of fisheries products.

Thanks to recent developments in underlying technologies, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) have become more widely used in underwater surveys and explorations. In the future, we expect AUVs will see even wider usage as a way to reduce labor and ensure safety. In this article, I would like to summarize how AUV technology has evolved, where we are currently in terms of AUV development and application, and our expectations towards future developments.

Traces of earth processes can be seen everywhere on Sado Island, an "island-wide geopark" where curious visitors can have fun exploring the connections between Earth, living things, and human life. A visit to the geopark shows how the environment around us has changed alongside movements of the earth, evolving throughout the long passage of time. This article introduces Sado Island’s fascinating features - as seen from the perspective of geoparks – as well as some geopark-related activities.