First salmon fishing since 3/11

October 31, 2015

1st salmon fishing since 2011 nuclear accident

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/nuclear.html

Oct. 31, 2015 - Updated 06:31 UTC+1

Anglers at a river in Fukushima Prefecture have enjoyed their first session of salmon fishing since the nuclear meltdowns in 2011.

About 30 sports anglers and local fishermen gathered on Saturday morning at the Kido River, which runs through Naraha Town. The site is south of the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

They cast their lines as a siren sounded at 7AM. They caught salmon about 70 centimeters long.

It was the first salmon fishing by rod in the area in nearly 5 years.

A man in his 60s, who landed a fish of more than 4 kilograms, said he is happy to return to salmon fishing at the river.

Kentaro Suzuki, who runs a local hatchery, said that he was thrilled to see anglers enjoying the fishing, although there are fewer fish than before.

Shoppers also returned to the fish store at a nearby processing plant.

An elderly woman who fled the town after the meltdowns, said she was pleased to hear the store had reopened. She said she used to send local fish every year to her son who lived away from home.

Commercial salmon fishing in the Kido River resumed earlier this month, following the lifting of the evacuation order for Naraha in September.