Furuno Electric, Asahi Tanker, and Yamaguchi Fisheries Co-op Launch Collaboration for Blue Carbon Creation

Furuno Electric Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Nishinomiya, Hyogo; President: Yukio Furuno) has launched a collaboration with Asahi Tanker Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Shigekazu Haruyama) and the Yamaguchi Prefectural Fisheries Cooperative (Main Office: Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi; President: Shin Moritomo) to promote sustainable 'Satoumi' (coastal sea) development.

This collaboration features an unprecedented environmental conservation model where a shipping company provides fish finders to fishermen to conduct marine environmental monitoring alongside their fishing activities. By utilizing fish finder data collected during operations, the project works to visualize changes in the sea that are difficult to see, such as the distribution and growth of seagrass beds, to create Blue Carbon based on scientific evidence.

### Overview of the Collaboration Based on this partnership, Asahi Tanker will purchase fish finders from Furuno Electric for the purpose of seagrass conservation and provide them to fishermen for monitoring. The Kisa Branch of the Yamaguchi Prefectural Fisheries Cooperative will conduct monitoring by navigating through areas where seagrass is distributed during their normal fishing activities. This ensures continuous observation in a sustainable manner, leveraging the data and knowledge gained by fishermen who face the sea daily.

Furuno Electric will promote efforts to quantitatively understand the marine environment by analyzing data acquired through fish finders, primarily in the coastal waters of Hofu City, to visualize the distribution and growth of seagrass beds. The three parties aim to establish a new Blue Carbon creation model that balances environmental conservation and industrial activities.

### Executive Comments **Michihiko Nakano, Managing Director, Asahi Tanker Co., Ltd.:** "With the slogan 'An Answer for the Sea of the Future,' we aim to be a shipping company that lasts for 100 years. In the Seto Inland Sea, an important field for our energy transport business and our birthplace, we are pursuing initiatives for a sustainable society, such as Blue Carbon creation through seagrass bed restoration, zero-carbon maritime transport using EV vessel expertise, and energy independence for islands using renewable energy. This initiative deepens our cooperation with partners we have walked with, contributing to the realization of a sustainable society in the Seto Inland Sea."

**Akie Tokutomi, Kisa Branch Manager, Yamaguchi Prefectural Fisheries Cooperative:** "As the marine environment changes significantly with rising water temperatures, seagrass beds—crucial for nurturing fishery resources—are decreasing. In response, we established the 'Hofu City Seagrass Bed Creation Protocol' in 2023, installing iron fish reefs and promoting the consumption of 'Aigo' fish that graze on seaweed. This collaboration allows us to visualize seagrass beds that were previously invisible, which is encouraging for our efforts and highly anticipated for efficient seagrass bed creation."

**Kazuma Hishimatsu, Director, Senior Managing Executive Officer & CMO, Furuno Electric Co., Ltd.:** "Furuno has long supported maritime safety and fishing efficiency. This initiative is part of our 'Project for the Future of the Sea,' an effort to contribute to the ocean by applying our technology to the new goal of 'creating the sea of the future.' Capturing invisible ocean changes is essential for seagrass growth and Blue Carbon promotion. We believe our technology to see the invisible will be useful. Toward our 2050 vision 'Ocean 5.0,' we hope to help build a sustainable future where all living things receive ocean blessings and give back to the sea, listening to voices from the field."

### Voice from the Field **Akihiro Kuribayashi, Steering Committee Member, Kisa Branch, Yamaguchi Prefectural Fisheries Cooperative:** "As a result of this initiative, we hope that increased seaweed will expand spawning grounds for fish and lead to a rich sea where many fish gather. For us fishermen, witnessing the gradual improvement of the marine environment is a great joy. I feel this will lead to stable fishing in the future and the passing of a rich sea to the next generation. I am happy to contribute to Blue Carbon creation and marine environmental improvement by collecting data while operating my boat."

Furuno Electric continues to work toward its vision of realizing a safe, secure, comfortable, and environmentally friendly society and navigation.