Oshoro Marine Station is bases 15km southwest of Otaru out of Oshoro Bay. Established in 1908, the facility was first used by the Tohoku Imperial University School of Fisheries, until assimilation into Hokkaido University. It one of the oldest facilities in Japan, 2nd right after Tokyo University Misaki Marine Biological Station established in 1886. Located in the closed-section of Ishikari Bay, Oshoro Bay is exceptionally calm, with water temperatures throughout the course of the year ranging between 5~22 degrees Celsius. The limits on its temperature range are greatly influenced by the Tsushima Current and the Liman Current, which flow through into the bay during the summer-fall and winter-spring seasons, respectfully. Special to the Sea of Japan, there is not much tidal level variation. Even at low tide, the appearance of exposed rock is less common. However, continuing to the conglomerate zone near its mouth, a nesting ground for marine flora and fauna begin to emerge. The waters within the bay, placid even in the midst of strong winds, have been found to be not only suitable for the collection of invertebrate, fish, and marine algae samples; but also meeting the desired conditions for feeding experimentation, seawater surveys, and also plankton sample collection.
Although this laboratory has a reputation to be unstaffed at times, it is maintained and readily available for use. As many students and researchers from Hakodate as well as Sapporo campus often drop by, the facility is thought of as a place for active research. The facility is also often used by independent researchers. To date, this lab has generously been the host to a myriad of research.
Oshoro Bay, richly inhabited by a diverse species of invertebrates, fish, and marine algae has a promising geographic location. Its ever calm surface provides the most suitable conditions for sample acquisition. Motivated researchers and students driven by the skin-close feeling of having the beauty and diversity of aquatic-life up close in person flood its gates.
This station was built in 1927 by the Lake Toya Fishery Association as a red salmon hatchery. In 1936, it was donated to Hakodate Fisheries High School. Since 2001, it has been used by the Northern Biosphere Field Science Center and is currently referred to as the Toya Inland Water Station. Lake Toya is used for irrigation as well as drinking water. Its waters, considered very important, have been made public and put into environmental protection. The lake is home to many species of aquatic life such as masu salmon, whitespotted char, rainbow trout, ezogei, carp, crucian carp, amur goby, Japanese mitten crab, and lake prawn.
Every year, observation of plankton and dissection of salmon species are carried out by 1st and 3rd year students belonging to Hokkaido University School of Fisheries Department of Marine Bioproductive Science. As two of the institutions big research projects we are:
(1) investigating the lake water environmental conservation along with fish species resource management
(2) researching the possibility of introducing the inhabitants into Hokkaido's salmon resource pool.
Our station is not only concerned with the work of researchers and graduate students, we care about helping others experience the same natural appeal and stunning beauty of Hokkaido that we have, by growing the interest in science, helping to promote the university's courseware targeting high school students, "Future Scientist Training Course." Watching students aspire to know more and their earnestness towards any subject is like fresh air entering the room. Aim towards getting into the master's program! Don't lose to the high school students. Come research with us.
Nanae Freshwater Laboratory is situated in the heart of Nanae, the town neighboring the north side of Hakodate, right off of National Highway-5. By vehicle it is roughly 20 minutes from the School of Fisheries on Hakodate campus and 15 minutes from Onuma Park. Water is supplied to the facility by utilizing both the Kunebetsu-Narukawa drainage and a well supplying as much as 1 tonne of water per minute. The facility is home to many common as well as uncommon fish species: such as the Carp; Sturgeons; and 14 different kinds of Masu Salmon taken from 25 distinct genealogical families. In entirety, the fish kept can be seen as precious genetic material. Among the rarest of breeds are the Non-spotted Sakura Salmon and the Albino Ito that are kept in captivity under selective breeding. The facility consists of a main research laboratory, a holding facility, and a fish breading practice lab. In addition, there are 13 concrete based artificial ponds and more than 80 water tanks where wish are kept.
In the field of domestic animal production, the application of cloning technology is actively researched. In our lab, we are wish to research ways to apply the same technology in the field of fisheries. In order to make this happen, we need to push forward research employing techniques used in the field of developmental bioengineering to better understand fish cell differentiation mechanisms. Our goal is to use our findings to help methods to farm the Ito (Hucho Perri), an endangered species of fish recognized by the Ministry of Environment.
Due to environmental changes, the number of Ito in areas such as the eastern part of Hokkaido has plummeted, putting the species on the Ministry of Environment's Red Data Book (endangered species list). The Ito, a freshwater dwelling salmon, is one of the largest in its species and can only be found in Hokkaido. In our lab, our research findings have produced ways to artificially induce growth in the Ito population as well as allow us to master the production of its albino variety. Currently the largest Ito we have been able to raise is about 98 cm. In the future, we hope for that length to reach 1 meter.
As an integral part of Hokkaido University Graduate School of Environmental Science course in Aquatic Biology, the Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem Change Analysis (LAMECA) overseas research and educational endevours at the School of Fisheries on Hakodate Campus.
Our research goals are as follows:
The term Bio-logging, orginally thought up by a researcher in Japan, has made its way into academic study. By attaching recording devices to animals, we have gained a more in-depth understand of underwater ecological behavior. In this course, as well as practicing Bio-logging, we will also be employing state of the art remote observation vehicle - ROV - technology to map out ecology of aquatic life.
The waters expanding of the shore of Usujiri, situated near the mouth of Funka Bay are heavily influenced seasonally by the water mass interchange between the Oya Current and the Tsugaru Warm Current. Due to the mixture of cold and warm currents throughout the year, a variety of wildlife can be seen inhabiting its waters from season to season. Due to these oceanic changes, as a first in fish species, a variety of wildlife including warm water and cold water inhabiting fish species can be seen between seasons. Moreover throughout the course of a year, it is said that the area has an observed capacity to support diverse wildlife.
On our marine campus we use scuba diving, fish raising, and genetic markers as a weapon challenging question put out by wildlife. Making the ecology of wildlife inhabiting the northern waters clear and suggesting ways to preserve in natural harmony the ocean and its inhabitants is our objective.
This strange starfish was first to be discovered by Usujiri's most terrifying hunter, Professor Munehara, in March 2009. On top of having a plump and clearly star shaped figure, it discharges mass quantities of viscous liquid from its body. Overlooking the clean orange surface noted by reference diagrams, focusing on the black surface of its back, we were at first oblivious of what it was. After consulting with an outside institution (Research Institute of Marine Invertebrates - RIMI), we were able to understand that it was in fact of the Pteraster tesselatus, a vicious species of starfish that was discolored. It is thought to be seen often in the sand mud bottom along the continental shelf. Even in Hokkaido, it is rarely seen in reef areas 20 meters below the surface. However, the fact that the mighty hunter, Professor Munehara, found one amongst the rocks at a depth of only 2 to 3 meters is miraculous.
(Excerpt from the home page of Usujiri Fisheries Station)