Extensive Seaweed Beds, Undersea Forests Where Warm Currents Meet Cold Current Shizugawa-wan Seaweed Bed Geographical Coordinates: 38°40’N, 141°30’E / Altitude: 0m / Area: 5,793ha / Major Type of Wetland: B: Marine subtidal aquatic beds (Un- derwater vegetation) / Designation: Marine Park Area of National Park / Municipalities Involved: Minamisanriku Town, Miyagi Prefecture / Ramsar Designation: October 2018 / Ramsar Criteria: 1,2,3,4,6

Brent Geese

View of Shizugawa-wan from the southeast

General Overview: me Eisenia bicyclis and Garamo Sargassum Aquaculture of oysters (Photo: WWF Japan) Shizugawa-wan is located in the south- sp. respectively, and one sea grass bed ern Sanriku Coast facing the North Pacific. of eelgrass. More than 200 species of sea The environment of the bay is affected by grasses and seaweeds have been identified three well balanced sea currents, the nutri- in the eelgrass bed and there are 4 species ent rich Oyashio, a cold current, and Kuro- such as Zostera marina, Zostera caespitosa, shio and Tsugaru, warm currents, which Zostera caulescens and Phyllospadix iwaten- bring warm water from the south. This is sis including several endangered species. It the reason for the bay’s extensive seaweed is hard to find such diverse seaweed beds in bed of two major and valuable Kelp species, the world. In addition to the seaweed and sea Makonbu Saccharina japonica, that grows grass species, the bay supports the marine in the cold sea, and Arame Eisenia bicyclis, biodiversity of more than 550 species as Seaweed bed (Arame Eisenia bicyclis) that grows in the warm sea. The bay has their feeding ground and habitat. several islets such as Are and Tsubaki, along Sustainable Aquaculture: with rocky reefs, sandy silt shore and tidal The bountiful Shizugawa-wan supports a preparatory office was set up in the town flats on the coast. fishery, the main industry of Minamisan- hall, to conduct activities such as environ- More than 100 Brent Geese Branta ber- riku Town. Aquaculture of Oyster, Wakame mental education activities and scientific nicla nigricans, a national natural treasure and Silver Salmon in this bay has been sup- researches including biota monitoring. classified as Vulnerable in the Red List by the porting people’s livelihood for a long time. Contact Information: Ministry of the Environment, Japan, winter The local community is aiming at sustain- Minamisanriku Town Office here every year. In order to spend winter able aquaculture with proper management. https://www.town.minamisanriku.miyagi.jp/ here, they need foods such as eelgrass and The oysters produced here gained ASC cer- rocky reefs for resting. Fish-eating raptors tification, an eco-labeling for aquaculture such as White-tailed Eagles Haliaeetus al- products issued by the Aquaculture Stew- Kesennuma Sta. bicilla and Steller’s Sea Eagles Haliaeetus ardship Council. pelagicus also visit here to winter. Centers of Nature Experience: There is a monitoring station for monitor- The site has Minamisanriku Marine Visitor Rd. ing the representative seaweed beds in Japan Center of Sanriku Fukko (reconstruction) (Monitoring Sites 1000 Project conducted by National Park. The visitor center releases Sanriku Town EXPWY Isatomae the Ministry of the Environment) near Tsubaki nature information from the National Park office islet approximately 4km away from Shizugawa and the Ramsar site in it. It also offers op- Areshima Port. The monitoring has been carried out portunities to enjoy nature, such as nature Tsubakishima Tokura continuously since 2008. Although the tsu- experience programs including kayaking. Shizugawa-wan nami after the Great East Japan Earthquake There used to be a nature center for wise Yanaizu Sta. in 2011 brought about serious damage, the use of natural environment in the Tokura seaweed bed is recovering now. district, Minamisanriku Town, and the cent- Kitakami River Diverse Types of Seaweed Beds: er organized several educational programs Onagawa Sta. Pacific Ocean Seaweed bed is called seaweed forest or and capacity building activities before it was Rwy seagrass meadow, and there are 4 types of destroyed completely by the tsunami after seaweed beds in the bay, three seaweed beds the Great East Japan Earthquake. Currently, Ishinomaki Bay consist of Kombu Saccharina japonica, Ara­ aiming at reestablishing the nature center,

RAMSAR SITES in JAPAN 5