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タイ在住11年目、妻はタイ人、娘が2人、養女が2人

ウナギは食うな、クジラは食うな。
いやな時代になりました。
でも、一番いやなのは、金融緩和政策による円安なんです。
海外円建て生活者の生活（暮らし向き）を直撃しています。
（スラチャイ）

The Yomiuri Shimbun
New glass eel farming restrictions must have bite as well as bark
ウナギ養殖規制　資源保護の実効性が問われる

We hope efforts to protect eel resources will be strengthened so people can continue to eat Japanese eel.
　ウナギを食べ続けられるよう、資源保護の取り組みを強化したい。

Japan, China, South Korea and Taiwan have agreed to reduce eel farmers’ procurement of young Japanese eels by 20 percent from 2015. This is the first international framework created to manage stocks of the Japanese eel.
　日本と中国、韓国、台湾が、ニホンウナギの養殖量を、２０１５年から２割減らすことで合意した。ニホンウナギの資源管理に関する初の国際的な枠組みだ。

Wild stocks of glass, or young, eels that are used for farming are rapidly decreasing due to overfishing. In 2013, Japan caught about five tons of glass eels, barely one-tenth of the figure netted in the mid-1970s.
　養殖に使う稚魚の「シラス」は乱獲で激減している。日本の１３年の漁獲量は約５トンで、１９７０年代半ばの１０分の１にすぎない。

China and other nations that export eel to Japan also are struggling with poorer catches.
日本にウナギを輸出する中国などでも漁獲量は低迷している。

Japan is the biggest consumer of Japanese eel. To prevent the depletion of eel resources, Japan proposed the restrictions during unofficial talks with the three other governments. The agreement will control the volume of glass eels that can be used at eel farms.
　資源の枯渇を防ぐため、最大の消費国である日本が非公式協議で提案し、養殖場に入れるシラスの量を規制することになった。

Although this is a “gentleman’s agreement” with no legally binding power, we welcome the fact that the international parties involved share a sense of crisis about the state of eel stocks, and are now aligned on protecting this resource.
　法的拘束力のない「紳士協定」とはいえ、４か国・地域が危機感を共有し、資源保護で足並みをそろえたことは評価できる。

The drive to reach this agreement on managing eel resources stemmed from critical views in the international community about overfishing of Japanese eel.
　資源管理で合意した背景には、ニホンウナギの乱獲に対する国際社会の厳しい見方がある。

In June, the International Union for Conservation of Nature designated Japanese eel as an endangered species.
　国際自然保護連合（ＩＵＣＮ）は今年６月、ニホンウナギを「絶滅危惧種」に指定した。

Consequently, it is possible restrictions on the export and import of Japanese eel could be set at a meeting of the Washington Convention due to be held in 2016. The convention is an international treaty to protect endangered animals and plants.
このため２０１６年に開かれるワシントン条約の会議で、輸出入制限の対象になる可能性が出ている。

If trade in the eels were to be restricted, it would generate significant problems in Japan, because 60 percent of eel consumed here is imported. Eel farmers in China and other nations would also suffer a blow if exports were restricted.
　対象になれば、国内消費の６割を輸入に頼る日本が困るだけでなく、輸出が制限される中国などの養殖業者も打撃を受ける。

Will 20% be enough?

China and Taiwan initially opposed Japan’s proposal to scale back the volume of young eels introduced into eel farms. Their about-face is probably aimed at protecting their own eel farmers.
　日本提案に当初は反対した中国や台湾が受け入れたのは、自国の養殖業者を守る狙いだろう。

To ensure that Japanese eel does not become restricted by the Washington Convention, it is essential to steadily reduce the volume of young eels being moved from the wild to eel farms and demonstrate clear results in the protection of eel resources.
　ワシントン条約の制限を受けないためには、養殖量の削減を着実に実行し、資源保護の成果を上げることが重要だ。

There was apparently no scientific basis for choosing 20 percent as the figure for reduction. It will be necessary to verify the agreement’s effectiveness in replenishing eel stocks. If this 20 percent reduction is found to be insufficient, additional cuts may need to be considered.
　２割の削減幅には科学的な根拠はないという。資源回復の効果を検証し、不十分な場合は削減幅の上積みが求められよう。

Eel farmers and others in the four parties to this agreement will be entrusted with managing eel resources.
　資源管理の対応は、各国・地域の業者などに委ねられる。

Private-sector bodies comprising eel farm operators and others will confirm the new rules are being followed.
　規制の順守状況の確認は、養殖業者らが作る民間の自主管理組織が担う。

An international nongovernmental organization will be established to oversee these bodies and share reports on the state of eel stocks.
これらの上部団体として国際的な非政府組織を設立し、状況を報告し合うという。

If these rules are not thoroughly enforced and stocks of Japanese eel continue to decline, eel farmers will end up shooting themselves in the foot. We urge them to be keenly aware of this fact and positively go along with the four-way agreement.
　規制を徹底せずに、ニホンウナギの減少が続くようだと、養殖業者は自らの首を絞めることになる。それを自覚し、積極的に取り組んでもらいたい。

Looking ahead, it will be worth considering elevating the status of the agreement to an accord based on international treaties and making it legally binding.
　合意を国際条約に基づく協定に格上げし、拘束力を持たせることも、今後の検討課題だ。

Many observers have suggested the restrictions on the amount of glass eels that can be used for farming will result in a shortage of eel and keep prices high. While it is certain this agreement will hit consumers in the pocket, it is a cost that must be paid to protect an important element of Japanese cuisine.
　養殖規制によってウナギが品薄になり、価格が高止まりするとの見方は多い。消費者の懐に響くのは確かだが、ウナギという大切な日本食を守るために、必要なコストである。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 19, 2014)Speech