THE 30STARTUPS OF KANSAI

Founded in 2019, building on breeding and aquaculture technologies developed with Kyoto University and Kindai University, Regional Fish combines genome editing and other advanced breeding methods with land-based aquaculture to create new “Regional Fish” breeds. Its business spans producing and selling fish seed, promoting land-based aquaculture through open-innovation partnerships, and selling seafood it has developed and raised in-house. Working through a nationwide, cross-sector network of roughly 90 corporate, academic, and government partners, Regional Fish is driving next-generation aquaculture across Japan.

Full-cycle aquaculture has only about a 50-year history, so fish breeding has advanced far less than that of crops or livestock. Drawing on strong technical expertise and a highly specialized team, Regional Fish has bred fish with superior production efficiency, larger edible portions and faster growth, as well as breeds that tolerate high water temperatures, enabling continued farming even as ocean temperatures rise with climate change. By supplying these improved breeds, the company helps raise aquaculture productivity and supports a stable, reliable seafood supply for producers and consumers alike.

Regional Fish combines genome editing with several other breeding techniques, choosing the best method for each case to rapidly develop breeds suited to environmental change and market needs. Genome editing is central to this speed: Regional Fish was the first company in the world to file an official notification for a genome-edited fish, and it has since brought multiple genome-edited species to market in Japan. This proven, real-world track record of both fast development and successful commercialization is what sets Regional Fish’s technology apart.

Regional Fish aims to grow Japan’s aquaculture industry into a globally competitive sector through its breeding and land-based aquaculture technologies, while revitalizing the regional fisheries that have long supported local economies. The company will keep developing new breeds rapidly to meet the challenges of climate change and shifting market needs. Guided by its corporate mission, “Fish for the Future, For the People, For Our Planet,” Regional Fish remains committed to building a sustainable future for aquaculture in Japan and around the world.