Protected Water Surfaces (Japan)

Protected Water Surfaces (保護水面) are areas of water in Japan so designated, in accordance with Section 2 of the 1951 Protection of Fishery Resources Act (水産資源保護法), by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in conjunction with the prefectural governor in an effort to protect and cultivate the aquatic animals and plants living on and below the surface.

As of August 2002, there were 55 designated Seawater Surfaces (海面), totalling some 2948 ha, and 65 Freshwater Surfaces (内水面), the latter comprising 59 riverine surfaces, with a total length of 2303 km, and 6 lacustrine surfaces, with a protected area of 214 ha. Representative of each type are areas of the Seto Inland and Ariake Seas, Ibi, Kinugawa, Nagara, and Tenryū Rivers, and Lakes Biwa and Kasumigaura, respectively.

In these areas, as well as no-take measures, with the harvesting of all or particular species prohibited, and breeding and propagation initiatives, activities including dredging and land reclamation are restricted and regulated.