Coastal Area 17501 Ishikari Bay

Basic Information References

Reason(s) for selection Criteria

Characteristics References

These waters include Ishikari Bay. The sand beds in the bay at depths of up to 50 m are spawning grounds for flounder and Pacific herring and habitat for Japanese sand lance, Oratosquilla oratoria, Japanese squid and others as well, and they are highly productive (Zengyoren engan gyojyou kaihatu taisaku-shitu, 1977). Habitat for Asian clam and others is found at Ishikarihama and the area of the mouth of the Ishikari River where it flows into central Ishikari Bay (Ministry of the Environment, 2001). Ishikari Bay also is fringed by daimyo oak woods and sand dunes, with expansive sandy beaches, where Japanese north fairy shrimp appear in the pools that form in the sand dunes. In the subtidal zone of the sandy beaches live Gomphina melanegis, Chinese mactra, Northern great tellin, Sakhalin surf clam, and others. These sandy beaches are known to be habitats for diverse interstitial animals (Ito, 1985). In addition, in the vicinity of the mouth of the Ishikari River a relatively good combination of natural environments is maintained, with wetlands and sandy beaches downstream, natural meadows, and daimyo oak woods atop the coastal terraces. This is an important habitat for insect species as well, with Cicindela laetescripta and others confirmed to live here (Ishii et al., 2002).