Hometown Stories

Season 11, Episode 13

Episode Title: When the Sea Turned Red

Air Date: 2022-06-05

Overview:

Mori Tetsuya, a third-generation fisher in Akkeshi town, northern Japan, supports his family with income from catching sea urchin and other marine products. In 2021, a red tide hit the town for the first time, killing 80% of the sea urchins in the area. Over 60 years, local fishers have established a unique farming method for these creatures. To protect them from the fast current and cold seawater, young urchins are released on the seabed by a specially trained diver in a suit weighing 60kg. Tetsuya is responsible for this dangerous mission. The program follows him for 2 months as he struggles in the face of the unprecedented damage.