Coastal Area 11507 Coast of Ogawahara Lagoons

Basic Information References

Reason(s) for selection Criteria

Characteristics References

These are the coastal waters of the Ogawahara lakes and marshes. In the area of the mouth of Lake Obuchinuma and the lagoons in its vicinity can be seen salt-water marshes, and Halerpestes kawakamii are a characteristic feature specific to the Pacific coast of the northeastern region. While some lagoons have been turned into freshwater bodies by weirs at their mouths, Lake Obuchinuma remains a natural lagoon teeming with Asian clam, Potamocorbula amurensis, Macoma takahokoensis (while these were listed under Takahoko Swamp, they are extinct since the swamp has been overtaken by fresh water), grass shrimp, and others. The waters of Lake Obuchinuma have been home to large numbers of Pacific herring since the Edo Period and, as a spawning ground, are still visited by Pacific herring (Ministry of the Environment, 2001).