The hairtail whips itself into a coil. Little yellow croakers go well with garlic and tofu. The bass is full of protein. The pomfret’s flesh is soft and delicate.But few customers are interested in Wu’s fish any more.Wu’s fate is not the fault of his own produce. It is due to the discharge of water from the Fukushima nuclear disaster more than 2000 kilometres away and the onslaught of health concerns, diplomatic disputes, and misinformation that has followed.
“The Japanese are polluting the ocean with nuclear-contaminated water,” says a middle-aged customer who asks not to be identified because talking to the media can be politically sensitive in China.The majority of radiation scientists have dismissed the health concerns surrounding the release since it began in August.
Marine conservation expert Robert Richmond from the University of Hawaii believes that nuclear scientists have yet to prove there won’t be long-term damage to the environment. “It’s a massively self-inflicted wound by the government of China on its people,” says Marks. “They’ve created a monster. It’s just crazy.”