Lake Hamana Underwater Cleanup Operation Carried Out

Every year, Marine Business Operations has been conducting a Marine Cleanup Activity for the protection of the natural environment of Lake Hamana, a lake located near the headquarters area, gathering visible rubbish on land around the lake. However, there was a sense of dissatisfaction in that the rubbish in the water, which is what we really want to protect, was left untouched. Therefore, in order to preserve a better marine environment for future generations, and to encourage the development of future marine leisure activities, volunteer members of the Division took the lead in carrying out the first attempt at a Lake Hamana Underwater Cleanup Operation.

In preparation for the project, we sought the cooperation of The Dives, a diving shop in Hamamatsu that conducts annual underwater cleanups at Lake Hamana, and asked for their support both in improving our diving skills and in assisting us underwater. In addition, in order to expand our activities in the future, we also contacted Marine Sweeper, a Shizuoka-based company that works on upcycling fishing gear. With the understanding and cooperation of a host of others, we were finally able to carry out the event at Arai Benten Sea Fishing Park on November 11th, a full year since we first decided to do it when we dove at Lake Hamana in the autumn of last year.

On the day, the operation was carried out with a total of 13 members, 5 in the land team and 8 in the underwater team, supported by two rescue boats, one of which was a patrol vessel provided by the Hamana Lake Comprehensive Environmental Foundation. With a maximum depth of around 5 m, the visibility was quite poor, making it a challenge to see what was going on around us, but in three dives we managed to collect a total of 49 kg of rubbish, including lures, tackle, fishing rods, and buckets and chairs that had probably been blown away by the wind.

Underwater, we found many areas in a typical state where one snag had caused another. Although we were only able to work around the first pier this time, we managed to collect more rubbish than expected. The lead and plastic used in fishing gear contribute to marine pollution. If they are visible, they can be collected, but inevitably there are places we cannot reach because they are hidden. We felt that such areas require more care and attention.

As for our future activities, we would like to increase the number of volunteer divers from both within and outside the Company, and find more local companies that will cooperate with us, and think together about what we can do and what we should do now, and then put those ideas into action.

To protect the future abundance of our oceans and further increase their value.

YASUMURA Ryotaro Rich,
Market QA Division, Quality Assurance Section,
Marine Business Operations (YMC)