Construction of Climate Change-Adapted Seaweed Beds on the Japanese Coast

Japanese coastal seaweed beds are experiencing a long-term decline in area coverage in a phenomenon called isoyake, which has massively impacted the fisheries industry. Therefore, research has been performed on seaweed bed restoration. Consequent measures have been implemented along with the promulgation of relevant technology. Meanwhile, increasing seawater temperatures and other environmental changes associated with climate change, which is one of the causes of isoyake, are spreading globally and have become increasingly severe in recent years. With respect to methods of coping with the effects of climate change, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Fifth Assessment Report (2014) calls for adaptation to effects that have already occurred and unavoidable medium- and long-term effects. In this context, this paper discusses the present state of and future forecasts for seaweed beds on the Japanese coast, and it then considers the future trends of climate change-adapted seaweed bed construction.