Chapter 3 Community-based fisheries management in Saroma Lake

Abstract

Saroma Lake is the largest lagoon in Japan, situated at latitude 44°05′07″ and 44°11′58″ north and longitude 143°40′06″ and 143°58′14″ east (Fig. 3.1). It is located in the northeast of Hokkaido along the Okhotsk sea. The size and circumference of the lake area is around 151km² and 91km, respectively. The pear-shaped lagoon is around 25.7km long and around 9.5km wide. The lake has semiclosed estuaries with sea mouths between Okhotsk sea and lake. In the lake, two artificial sea mouths have been excavated, where the water exchange can be maintained. These are around 300 and 50m wide. Approximately 90 percent of the total inflow from the sea to the lake passes through the former mouth, which was opened in 1927. The salinity level in Saroma Lake is almost similar to that of the Okhotsk sea due to the active tidal water exchange through the two mouths. An average water depth in Saroma Lake is 14m, approximately 18m deep at the deepest point. The lake receives fresh water from 13 rivers, particularly two principal streams (i.e., River Saromabetsu and Baro), where a large quantity of freshwater and subsequent sediments and nutrients are supplied into the lake.

Citation

Iwasaki, S. and Shaw, R. (2010), "Chapter 3 Community-based fisheries management in Saroma Lake", Iwasaki, S. and Shaw, R. (Ed.) Integrated Lagoon Fisheries Management: Resource Dynamics and Adaptation (Community, Environment and Disaster Risk Management, Vol. 3), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 59-87. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2040-7262(2010)0000003010