June 21, 2012

Fukushima to start selling seafood again

The Fukushima Prefectural Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations will be resuming sales for certain types of seafood, caught in Japanese waters off the prefecture.

Sales of seafood caught off Fukushima will take place for the first time since the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami started the nuclear crisis.

After test fishing, the group confirmed the safety of several kinds of seafood, including octopus.

Shipments will be resumed Wednesday (June 20) for two types of octopus and one type of shellfish.

Fishery groups in Fukushima have voluntarily suspended fishing operations in the area since the accident at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s disaster-hit Fukushima 'Number One' nuclear power plant.

In tests conducted on June 14, no radioactive substances were detected.

The seafood is set to be sold mainly in local markets, the group said.