Ocean—Shizugawa Bay
Shizugawa Bay is located near the southern end of the Sanriku Coast. It extends 8 kilometers from shore to mouth, is 6 kilometers wide at the mouth, and has a maximum depth of 50 meters. It is dotted with islets, rocky reefs, sandy shores, and tidal flats. Three ocean currents converge in the vicinity of the bay: the cold Kurile Current (Oyashio Current) and the warm Japan Current (Kuroshio Current) and Tsugaru Current. This confluence is why these waters are home to a rich diversity of marine life, including an extensive seaweed forest.
Shizugawa’s natural bounty supports commercial fishing, one of the main industries in Minamisanriku. The principal catches include oysters and silver salmon, and wakame seaweed is also commercially harvested.
Many kinds of fish migrate to the bay at various times throughout the year. Grunt sculpin and lumpfish come from colder northern climes, while goby and chub mackerel travel from the south.
The Minamisanriku Marine Visitor Center conducts a variety of educational and outdoor activities related to Shizugawa Bay, such as seaweed-craft workshops and kayaking.