Beyond fins, Japanese firms seeking new values in sharks

Fins may be the best-known part of a shark to food lovers, but Japanese companies are trying to make the animal’s widely consumed, lesser-known meat more visible and put its skin to new uses.

Sharks, which have been caught in Japan since the Edo period (1603-1868), are still unloaded at the fishing port of Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture.

While their fins are prized in Chinese cuisine, such as shark fin soup, their meat is another story. It is widely used, but many consumers do not know they have eaten it.

Much of the meat is ground into surimi paste and used in products such as hanpen steamed fish cake.

But with few other familiar uses for shark meat, a seafood processing business operator in Kesennuma says, “few people realize that they have eaten shark meat.”

There is even a complicated backdrop.

Shark fishing, like whaling, has drawn criticism from environmental groups overseas.

Another headwind is increasing popularity of sharks in some corners of pop culture, notably from children’s YouTube phenomenon Baby Shark animation videos.

Now Japanese companies are trying to put the meat on the menu in forms that make its origins harder to miss.

Chuka Takahashi, a Tokyo-based wholesaler of Chinese food ingredients, has named its shark meat products Peach Shark for the meat’s color.

The company sells blocks of shark meat for cooking and stick-shaped pieces for commercial use. It also plans to release prepared foods.

Snack maker Oyatsu Company, based in Tsu, Mie Prefecture, is also trying to win consumers.

Its shark snack, made from salmon sharks landed at the Kesennuma port, is deep-fried in a savory, spicy Japanese karaage style. It is sold at supermarkets and other retailers.

“We hope to make the taste of shark meat better known through a new way of eating it,” an official said.

Audio-Technica, a Tokyo-based audio equipment maker, released this year a portable record player called Shark Burger, which has a handle using the skin of blue sharks.

“The product was designed not simply to deliver music,” an official said, “but to give consumers an opportunity to learn about the shark-fishing industry.”

Audio-Technica said the product was sold out in summer, though it did not disclose the number of units made.