Nanae Fresh-Water Station is belonging to Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere.  The main purpose of the Station is research and education regarding fish reproduction and the preservation of genetic resources of fish.  The Station consists of a hatchery, concrete fish ponds for experiments, an office and a laboratories, built mainly between 1959 to 1968.  Genetic resources of salmonid fishes at the Station comprise 12 species, including 18 strains.  Cyprinid fish, such as common carp, goldfish, zebrafish and so on, are also kept for student experiment and research in this station.  These facilities and fish are mainly used for educations and researches of Faculty of Fisheries, Hokkaido University.  Members of other university, organization and institute are also available.  Some parts of fish have been provided to many Aquariums in Japan, such as Otaru Aquarium, for their exhibition.  Moreover, biological research of sturgeon, such as reproduction, cyto-genetics, embryology, biotechnology etc, are now on-going, under cooperative research with Faculty of Fisheries and other organization.  Some researchers conduct pathological study, research for fish feed, development of data logger for fish and so on, using fish as materials in this station.

      Nanae Fresh-Water Station was originally a tract of privately-owned land purchased in 1940 by the Hakodate College of Fisheries, the predecessor school of the Faculty of Fisheries, Hokkaido University.  This station has been contributing to the education and research for 74 years.  During the days, Faculty of Fisheries, Hokkaido University was established at 1949, educational, technical and official staffs were placed in this station after 1966.  In 2001, this Station was incorporated into Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere with other field stations belonging to Faculty of Science or Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University. 

     As constructed mainly from 1959 to 1976, the facilities and old equipment become deteriorated.  Old rectangular ponds were reconstructed to 16 new circular ponds at 2011.  Financial support from Dr. Hiroshi Saeki, then Dean of Hokkaido University, helped renew this facility following the mass mortality of captive fishes in summer 2010.  Although genetic resource of fish was lost several times by electric outage at 2006, by water-flow blocking at 2010, and by some harmful substance at 2013, our station revived again and again.  Now, construction of new building will start in this spring.  

     This is the smallest facility with one educational and one technical staffs in Hokkaido University.  But, we had large amount of contributions during our history for 74 years, as many as other facilities did.  We will provide with our original better educational programs and helpful supports for education and research uses after reconstruction.  And again, this Station is opened for the researchers who hope to conduct any academic activities.  We do our best to support all legal projects planned by visiting researchers.  If you have a project availing the facilities, and captive fishes provided in this Station.  Please let us know your plan.  We are willingly to support all active visitors.