Fisheries Research Agency and Yanmar Holdings Acquire Joint Patent for Mass Production Technology of Full-Cycle Aquacultured Japanese Eel
The Fisheries Research and Education Agency (FRA) and Yanmar Holdings have announced the joint acquisition of a patent for core technologies aimed at the mass production of the endangered Japanese eel through full-cycle aquaculture. This development opens up significant prospects for stable eel supply and resource conservation, raising the possibility that consumers will be able to enjoy affordable and safe eel in the future. The newly acquired patent primarily covers two groundbreaking technologies. One is a special tank technology that enables high-density rearing of glass eels (juvenile eels) at approximately 10 times the conventional density. The other is a low-cost feed technology capable of promoting healthy eel growth while reducing production costs. Yanmar Holdings reportedly collaborated with the FRA on tank development and contributed to equipment aspects such as automated feeders. In recent years, the population of eels has drastically declined due to overfishing and envir...