FUKUSHIMA － Fukushima High School students who have been cultivating Japanese eels offered them for the first time at a sampling event in Fukushima early last month. The students received great responses from visitors, such as "delicious and soft."
　The school's Super Science Club cultured the fish in "suitable environment water" (see below), which is habitable for both freshwater and saltwater fish. Geothermal heat from the Tsuchiyu-Onsen hot spring resort area in the city was also used.
　The students are motivated to support the recovery of tourism in Tsuchiyu-Onsen and make the eels a local specialty.

　海水・淡水魚が一緒に生息できる「好適環境水」や土湯温泉の温泉熱を使ってニホンウナギを養殖してきた福島高スーパーサイエンス（ＳＳ）部の生徒は６日、福島市で初の試食会を開き、「ふっくらしておいしい」と来場者から好評だった。同部は養殖した魚を同温泉の特産品にしたい考えで、「土湯温泉の観光復興に役立ちたい」と意気込む。

　The water, developed by the Okayama University of Science, is dubbed "magic water" well-suited to breeding fish.
　The club's members have been working to support the local area's recovery by cultivating the seawater fish in a mountains area to offer them for consumption. They installed fish tanks inside a vinyl greenhouse and are controlling the temperature of the water and air with geothermal heat from hot springs. The project is subsidized by the Fukushima prefectural government.

　好適環境水は魚の成育に適した「魔法の水」とされ、岡山理科大が開発した。同部は、山間部で海水魚を養殖して新鮮な魚を提供し、同温泉の復興につなげようと考え、昨年９月から養殖に取り組んできた。ビニールハウスに水槽を設置し、温泉熱を使って水温とハウスの気温を調整。県の補助を受けている。

　The sampling event took place on Nov. 6 as part of Tsuchiyu Buratto Onsen Baru, a walk-and-eat event held in the Tsuchiyu-Onsen resort area. The students broiled 60 eels in a soy-based sauce and served 100 unadon eel bowls, which proved popular.

　試食は同日、同温泉で開かれた食べ歩きイベント「土湯ぶらっと温泉バル」で実施。６０匹をかば焼きにし、１００食分のうな丼を提供して人気を集めた。

　With support from Shinsuke Shoten, a fresh fish retailer in Fukushima, 12 students in their first and second years took part in the cooking, including grilling the fish.
　Mitsuo Anzai, a company worker from Fukushima who was among those who made a beeline for the dish, said, "It's soft and elastic. It would be fun if it became a local specialty."
　"Maintaining the water quality was especially difficult," said Keita Yamaki, a second-year student. "I'm happy we received praise from people, who said [our dish] was tasty."
　Yamaki responded to the positive feedback: "Our contribution might be small, but we want to help reinvigorate Tsuchiyu-Onsen."
　The students said they will start studying red sea bream and tiger puffer cultivation in the near future.

　同市の鮮魚店「新助商店」が調理を協力し、１、２年生計１２人が「焼き」などを担当。来場者が列を作る中、同市の会社員安斎三雄さん（４９）は「ふっくらして弾力がある。特産品になったら面白い」と笑顔を見せた。２年生の八巻慶汰さん（１７）は「水質維持が特に難しかった。『おいしい』という評価をいただき、うれしい。土湯温泉のにぎわい復活に少しでも力になりたい」と手応えを感じていた。今後はマダイやトラフグの養殖も研究するという。

　According to Kazuhiro Watanabe, president of the Tsuchiyu-Onsen Tourist Association, the hot spring resort is still on its way to fully fledged recovery from the 2011 nuclear accident because a ryokan inn was forced to close after the disaster. "We appreciate the boost [the students] gave to the event," Watanabe said.

　土湯温泉観光協会の渡辺和裕会長によると、原発事故後、倒産した旅館もあるなど本格的な復興は道半ばという。渡辺会長は「イベントを盛り上げてくれて感謝したい」と話していた。

　The walk-and-eat event was being held for the second time, following last year's. Nine booths were set up by local restaurants and students majoring in food and nutrition at Fukushima College. Visitors tasted konnyaku, dumplings and other foods while strolling around the hot spring resort area.

　「土湯ぶらっと温泉バル」は昨年に続き２回目。同温泉の飲食店と福島学院大食物栄養科の学生が９ブースを出店。来場者が温泉街を歩きながら、こんにゃくやギョーザなどを味わった。

　■Suitable environment water
　 Contains potassium, calcium and sodium, which are necessary for the growth of fish, at a concentration of a quarter of that of seawater. The osmotic pressure is suitable for both freshwater and seawater fish. The concentration of potassium, calcium and sodium is almost as high as in the fish, allowing them to use their energy for growing faster instead of adjusting body temperature. It is said that red sea bream and tiger puffers need at least two years to grow in the ocean. In suitable environment water, however, it has been proven they can grow in a year.

（　Translated by The Japan News　）

　 ■好適環境水
　海水の４分の１の濃度で魚の成長に必要な成分（カリウム、カルシウム、ナトリウム）で構成される。淡水魚、海水魚の両方に適する浸透圧になっているため、同じ水で育てることができる。この濃度は魚の体内の濃度とほぼ同じで、体内の温度調節に使うエネルギーを成長に使うことができるため、早く成長することが知られている。マダイやトラフグだと海では成長に２年はかかるといわれているが、好適環境水だと１年で成長することが証明されている。

　【　２０１６年１１月７日付・福島民友新聞掲載　】