Coastal Area 16501 Noto Peninsula

Basic Information References

Reason(s) for selection Criteria

Characteristics References

These waters extend from the mouth of the Hakui River on the west coast of the Noto Peninsula through the northern part of the peninsula to Tanoura and Ushitsu. A series of gently shelving shallow sandy beaches continues from Hakui to Shibagaki, and here abundant sandy beach biota can be seen (Kato, 1999). On these sandy shores relatively large numbers of species and populations of snipe and plover are present during the migration seasons of spring and fall (Ministry of the Environment, 2001). The Hakui coast is habitat for Abroscelis anchoralis. In addition, in the waters in the vicinity of the town of Shika lives Zoarchias microstomus, a species endemic to Japan and recorded only here (Kimura and Sato, 2007). Off the Noto Peninsula unfold large-scale Sargassum beds, and while there are numerous artificial “nori islands” on the west coast there also are communities of laver including Uppurui nori, Porphyra okamurae and others (Ministry of the Environment, 2001). Masuhogaura is a gently shelving shallow sandy beach in a bay, where the most diverse assortment of shells to wash ashore in the Sea of Japan can be seen. Chion semigranosa and Latona cuneata are common at the water's edge, and Prunus Kabazakura and Pharaonella sieboldii inhabit the subtidal zone. In the vicinity of Cape Ama are saltwater marshlands of Juncaginaceae and others, where reef creatures live in abundance (Kato, 1999). In the waters from Cape Suzu to Iida Bay and Ushitsu are expansive seaweed beds and eel grass beds (Ikemori, 2013), an important habitat for Zostera caulescens (Tsukumo Bay) and Zostera caespitosa (Iida Bay) (Nakaoka and Aioi, 2001). The coast of the sea extending in front of the town of Noto, Hosu-gun is home to Sargassum beds, where numerous species including rare species are found (Ministry of the Environment, 2001). Tsukumo Bay in these waters is a habitat of the rare species Oligobrachia mashikoi (Institute of Nature and Environmental Technology Kanazawa University, 2005).