Fish farms in Ehime Prefecture: The sea where fish are raised.

The yellowtail served at Hama-Sushi, part of Zensho Group, is carefully raised at a fish farm located on an island off the coast of Uwajima, Ehime Prefecture, in southwestern Shikoku.
(※The origin may vary depending on the season and time of year.)

The fish farming pens in this fishing ground are 10 meters square. There is a limit to the number of fish that can be kept in each pen. Since yellowtail are migratory fish, ensuring they have plenty of exercise and reducing stress helps to raise delicious yellowtail.

When the fish are brought in, the fishermen hold the nets and pull the fish in little by little.
In order to deliver delicious fish to Hama-Sushi every day of the year, this unloading operation is carried out year-round in rotation at fishing grounds in various locations, regardless of whether it's a hot summer day, a cold winter day, a rainy day, or a windy day.

The yellowtail that are landed are then transported by live fishing boats to a processing plant in Wakayama Prefecture. At the processing plant, where hygiene management is strictly maintained, the scales and heads are removed, and the internal organs are taken out. By minimizing the processing steps under strict temperature control, the fish can be delivered to stores while maintaining their freshness and quality.

At Zensho, we place great importance not only on freshness and quality, but also on traceability management, including ensuring that size, health status, and feeding records are properly documented.
The items to check are numerous, including whether the fish tanks have been cleaned.

Furthermore, bait is an important point not only for raising fish, but also for protecting our precious oceans.
Farmed fish are fed solid, dry feed made from fishmeal and soybean oil cake, or semi-moist feed which is a mixture of these with small fish added.

These feeds are characterized by being "pelletized" to prevent them from dissolving into the sea. This improves the efficiency of feed distribution, eliminates waste in feeding, and enables planned rearing, while also helping to keep the ocean clean.

This meticulous care ensures the safety of the food product.

Furthermore, with the cooperation of our business partners, Zensho is also focusing on testing for Anisakis (*).
Although it is stated that "Anisakis parasite infestation in farmed fish is extremely rare (according to the National Institute of Health website)," Zensho conducted a large-scale survey for over a year in its related aquaculture areas. In this survey, more than 1,000 samples were tested for each fish species, and ultimately, no Anisakis was found.
*Anisakis... A type of parasite whose larvae infest many kinds of fish and shellfish. If Anisakis enters the body after eating fish and breaks through the stomach lining, it can cause severe pain.

In order to continue providing delicious products at affordable prices to many customers, we will continue to seek out carefully selected ingredients.