The Team from Nihon University Mishima High School Wins the Top Prize at the Presentation Contest
Three students from Nihon University Mishima High School won the top prize at the presentation contest. They presented an idea focused on environmental circulation using salmon and crayfish. Over the next year, we will work together with them on an environmental improvement project centered around salmon and crayfish.
The “Crayfish Salmon Project” Officially Begins — Kickoff Meeting Held with the Nihon University Mishima High School Team
A kickoff meeting was held for the “Crayfish Salmon Project (ZSP)” with three students from Nihon University Mishima High School—winners of the top prize at the presentation contest—and one supervising teacher.
The students were assigned to the Yume-Sōzō Club “Let’s Try Section” at Yamaichi Metal as part of their internship, and were issued business cards featuring the company name and their own names. They then participated in a basic business etiquette training session, which included how to exchange business cards and communication manners. After that, they discussed concrete planning toward making their “dreams a reality.”
SBSテレビによる取材もあり、今後のプロジェクト進行にますます期待が高まっています。
Nihon University Mishima High School Team Visits Proximar Seafood to Learn About Salmon Farming Expertise
Members of the “Let’s Try Section” of the Yume-Sōzō Club from Nihon University Mishima High School visited Proximar Seafood in Oyama Town to deepen their knowledge of salmon. Headquartered in Norway, the company is known as a group of professionals in salmon farming.
The visit took place at the Fuji Oyama Land-Based Fish Farm, one of the largest land-based aquaculture facilities in Japan. This facility specializes in farming high-quality Atlantic salmon, and the visit provided a valuable learning experience for the students. They received a wealth of advice from Mr. Nakayama, who was in charge of the tour, and also experienced exchanging business cards for the first time. Thanks to Mr. Nakayama’s guidance, the next steps for the project and what needs to be done became clearer.
Representative from the Marine Open Innovation Institute Visits Nihon University Mishima High School to Support the Salmon Project
Members of the “Let’s Try Section” of the Yume-Sōzō Club at Nihon University Mishima High School welcomed representatives from the Marine Open Innovation Institute (MaOI) to deepen their knowledge about salmon, with the introduction made by Proximar Seafood. MaOI plays a wide-ranging role, including collaboration with marine research institutions, management of research facilities, support for marine education activities, and assistance with commercialization related to the ocean.
Mr. Okamoto and Mr. Kizuka visited the school and listened attentively to the dreams and efforts of the “Let’s Try Section” members. They offered specific advice on what kind of actions should be taken next and at what pace.
They also introduced people the students should meet and places they should visit in the future, providing valuable guidance for further advancement of the project. We are grateful for the warm support from Mr. Okamoto and Mr. Kizuka and will apply their advice to our future activities. Thank you very much for taking the time to visit us despite your busy schedules.
Visit to Shibasaki Trout Farm Suggests a New Direction for the ZSP Project
Members of the “Let’s Try Section” of the Yume-Sōzō Club at Nihon University Mishima High School visited “Shibasaki Trout Farm” in Fujinomiya and met with President Hirabayashi. This visit was made possible through an introduction from the Marine Open Innovation Institute (MaOI), whom they had met earlier. Shibasaki Trout Farm primarily engages in freshwater aquaculture of rainbow trout, char, and coho salmon. President Hirabayashi also serves as the president of Strout Co., Ltd., a company involved in fisheries consulting and system development.
This encounter became a pivotal moment that could greatly influence the future of the ZSP project. President Hirabayashi not only provided valuable advice on concrete action plans moving forward, but also kindly offered the use of rainbow trout (salmon) and fish tanks.
After returning to Yamaichi Metal, the team began scheduling for analyzing the nutritional components of crayfish-based feed. The project is once again gaining momentum.
Crayfish Catching Conducted in Matoba, Shimizu Town — Project Moves Forward with New Members Onboard
A new and powerful member has joined the “Let’s Try Section” of the Yume-Sōzō Club at Nihon University Mishima High School, bringing the total to nine members. Together, they conducted a crayfish-catching activity in the rice fields of Matoba, Shimizu Town. This location was introduced by Mr. Yamamoto from the Planning Division of the Shimizu Town Office.
While the adult team fondly recalled catching crayfish after a long time, the four high school members were fully focused, steadily filling their buckets with crayfish. Thanks to their reliable efforts, a large number of crayfish were successfully collected.
Afterwards, the crayfish were brought back to Yamaichi Metal, where they were processed for analysis: they were purged with carbonated water, cleaned of mud, boiled, separated into shells and meat, stir-fried, and turned into meal samples for component analysis. During this process, Mr. Kato’s family also joined in, with the help of some little assistants, and approximately 550 grams of sample material was completed.
Based on the analysis results, the next direction of the project will be decided. The results are expected to be available in about two to three weeks.
Attempting to Recreate Crayfish Meal — Continued Efforts Toward Salmon Feed Development
Members of the “Let’s Try Section” of the Yume-Sōzō Club at Nihon University Mishima High School took on their second attempt at producing crayfish meal. Following confirmation that there were no issues in the component analysis of the previous batch, they carried out a large-scale processing effort involving 10 kilograms of crayfish.
This task was extremely demanding, as securing enough feed for approximately three months of salmon care requires processing a substantial amount of crayfish. Many members participated, tackling the challenge with determination and perseverance.
While the crayfish meat is mainly used as feed, the shells—being high in calcium—are unsuitable and must be removed. From the 10 kilograms of crayfish, only 575 grams of usable meal was obtained. This small yield made it clear that the road to achieving the project’s goals is still a long one.
Nonetheless, efforts toward realizing the dream continue.
Visit to Fujimi Kogyo Co., Ltd. in Shizuoka City — Exploring New Possibilities for Using Crayfish Shells as Agricultural Fertilizer
Members of the “Let’s Try Section” of the Yume-Sōzō Club at Nihon University Mishima High School visited Fujimi Kogyo Co., Ltd. in Shizuoka City. Fujimi Kogyo is known as a leader in the compost industry and is an innovative company exploring the potential of agricultural materials. The company’s representative, Mr. Masanobu Yamamoto, is a prominent figure in the industry and was awarded the Medal with Yellow Ribbon this spring.
This visit was made possible thanks to a suggestion from Ms. En Yamamoto of the company, made when the team was struggling to find ways to utilize crayfish shells. Since the shells are high in calcium and not suitable for salmon feed, the team was exploring alternative uses when the idea of using them as agricultural fertilizer emerged. With the cooperation of Fujimi Kogyo, we will proceed with joint research on applications in agriculture (fertilizer) alongside the ongoing work in aquaculture (salmon).
