Coastal Area 12204 East side of Tokyo Bay mouth

Basic Information References

Reason(s) for selection Criteria

Characteristics References

These waters extend from Cape Sunosaki to Cape Futtsu in the coastal area at the mouth of Tokyo Bay on the southern Boso Peninsula. The Port of Tateyama extending to the north from Cape Sunosaki is home to eel grass and Halophila ovalis, while coral is distributed in Tateyama Hasama and Sakata, with a high level of diversity of species. The waters extending in front of Futtsu to the north of Cape Futtsu include the sole remaining eel grass beds in Tokyo Bay (eel grass, Zostera japonica). The Futtsu tidal mud flats are the sandy tidal mud flats closest to the mouth in Tokyo Bay, home to Japanese littleneck clam and Mactra veneriformis. During the migratory seasons of spring and fall, many snipe and plover come here to feed on these benthic organisms. Their numbers are relatively high in terms of both species and populations. At least 1% of the sanderling's minimum estimated population has been recorded here. In addition, rock sandpiper, common redshank, and Far Eastern curlew have been recorded here too. Greater scaup visit the sandbanks as well (Ministry of the Environment, 2010).