Short-Necked Clams
Clams are collected in the Isshiki tidal flats and elsewhere around the coastal regions of Ise Bay and Mikawa Bay, with more gathered in Aichi than any other prefecture. Clam-digging is a popular pastime in spring. Large quantities of young shellfish can be found in the farthest reaches of Mikawa Bay's Rokujo tidal flats, where fishing is banned, and with special permission shellfish are released in the various prefectural fishing spots to make effective use of resources.
Kuruma Prawns
These prawns are found mainly in Ise and Mikawa Bays and are caught by trawling or gillnetting. The Aichi Fisheries Center breeds young prawns for release, and the prefecture now gathers more kuruma prawns than anywhere else in Japan. In 1990, the kuruma prawn was selected as the official prefectural fish.
Eel
High-volume eel farming is carried out primarily in the communities of Isshiki and Toyohashi in the Mikawa region, using heated terrestrial breeding ponds enclosed in greenhouses. Nagoya is famous nationwide for its hitsumabushi, a dish made from eel.
Tiger Blowfish
Young tiger blowfish begin life in the coastal tidal flats of the Ise and Mikawa Bays before moving to the Enshunada shoals where they grow to maturity. Then they are caught using longline or trawling fishing methods. Tiger blowfish is known as the very best blowfish variety, and Aichi is a leading producer of this delicacy. The Aichi Fisheries Center is responsible for breeding and releasing tiger blowfish stocks.
Ikanago
In early spring, whitebait fish 3–5 cm in length are caught, dried, and displayed in fish markets. Aichi's Ikanago fishing industry is known throughout Japan as a model example of resource management, and in March 2010, the prefecture's fisheries received MEL (Marine Ecolabel Japan) certification.
Nori
Aichi has a long history of cultivating nori, an edible seaweed. Nori farming is said to have begun in the estuaries of the Toyogawa River in 1854, and since then, the region has developed into one of Japan's foremost production centers. In the fall and winter, nori nets laden with seeds are laid out at fishing spots along the Ise and Mikawa Bay seashore, and nori is grown. Once it has matured, it is harvested, dried, processed, and shipped.
Sweetfish
Commercial and recreational fishing of sweetfish takes place in the mid and upper regions of the Kiso, Yahagi, Toyogawa, and Tenryu Rivers. A fishing technique called “tomozuri” involves roping areas off and using live decoys, and this sight has become a characteristic part of the summer landscape. Sweetfish are also farmed in the eastern Mikawa region, making Aichi one of Japan's top sweetfish producers.
Goldfish
Goldfish are a select ornamental breed of hibuna, a rapidly mutating type of carp. Twenty different varieties of goldfish are produced in Aichi, including the common goldfish, Ryukin goldfish, and telescope eye goldfish, and this richness in variety is one of the hallmarks of Aichi's goldfish breeding industry.
Blue Crabs
Fishing is primarily conducted in Ise and Mikawa Bays using small-size trawls, gillnets, and crab traps. The baby crabs, raised in the prefectural site for the National Center for Stock Enhancement, are released and represent a leading source for the country's seafood catches. These crabs have spatula-like legs and are called “swimming crabs” for their ability to use their legs like paddles and swim in open water.
Squilla
Squilla cover almost the entire area of Ise and Mikawa Bays and inhabit shallow holes in the mud. The majority are caught using small-size trawls, but they are being targeted as part of a resource restoration project. As a result, equipment is being introduced on fishing boats to be enable re-release without harming the smaller squilla that are caught.
Anago (Salt-Water Eel)
Between March and May, the fry, referred to locally as Noresore, ride the Kuroshio Current and come to the prefecture's coastal waters to play, after which they grow into Anago (or Conger myriaster). In Ise and Mikawa Bays, they are caught primarily with small-size trawls and Anago traps and represent a leading source of the country's fish catches. They are being targeted as part of a resource restoration project, and steps are being taken to improve fishing equipment to avoid catching smaller Anago.
