Medaka Extinction Crisis - March 1999

Medaka Extinction Crisis - March 1999

According to a 1999 announcement by the Environment Agency, Japan's freshwater killifish face an extinction crisis. A review of the Red Data Book listed 76 freshwater fish species as endangered, including the Kawabatamoroko and Hotoke-dojo. The killifish, in particular, is facing a deterioration of its habitat due to the expansion of industrial zones, the use of pesticides, and water pollution (increased nitrogen and phosphorus). For example, water pollution from industrial effluents is prominent in Osaka Bay and the Seto Inland Sea area. Furthermore, habitat reduction and river development have narrowed the range of possible habitats. Sumitomo Chemical and other companies are taking environmental measures, but these measures have not led to drastic improvements, and the protection of the ecosystem is an urgent priority.