Chitose Aquarium

Chitose Aquarium
Map
36°47′55″N 137°23′17″E / 36.7985°N 137.3881°E / 36.7985; 137.3881
Date opened1994 (1994)
LocationChitose, Hokkaido, Japan
Land area2,992 m2 (32,210 sq ft)
Volume of largest tank300,000 litres (79,000 US gal)
Total volume of tanks600,000 litres (159,000 US gal)
Annual visitors258.000[1]
MembershipsJAZA[2]
ManagementChitose Youth Education Foundation
Websitehttps://chitose-aq.jp/map/underwater.html

Chitose Aquarium or The Salmon Hometown Chitose Aquarium (サケのふるさと 千歳水族館, Sake no furusato Chitose Suizokukan) is a public aquarium located in Chitose City, Hokkaido, Japan. The aquarium specializes in freshwater fish, Researching in salmon and sturgeon.[3] It is a member of the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA),[4] and the aquarium is accredited as a Museum-equivalent facilities by the Museum Act from Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.[5]

History

A school of salmon swimming in the underwater observation room.
The large tank has a capacity of 300,000 litres (79,000 US gal) of water and was the largest tank dedicated to freshwater fish in Japan when it first opened.

In 1979, the "Salmon Park Basic Concept" was formulated and the Chitose Youth Education Foundation was established.[3]

In 1991, the Chitose River Underwater Observation Room was completed. This facility is designed to observe and study the inside of the Chitose River, where groups of wild salmon can be observed swimming during the spawning season.[3]

1994, the public aquarium Chitose Salmon Home Museum was opened.[3]

In 1995, the museum was recognized as a museum equivalent facility by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.[3]

salmon wheel

salmon wheels are located on the Chitose River near the facility and are installed to capture parent fish for use in salmon and trout propagation projects. It is the only one of its kind in Hokkaido that runs purely on water power without electricity, and it is installed from mid-August to early December to capture the salmon that migrate upstream.[6]

In 1888, when the salmon and trout hatchery was first established on the Chitose Rive salmon wheel were first located in the vicinity, and as the urban development progressed after the war, the number of visitors to the park increased.[7] In 1994, the Aquarium was opened and a new salmon wheel was installed near the facility.[8]

In 2012, the Chitose Youth Education Foundation was recognized as a public interest incorporated association.[3]

In 2015, after being closed for construction, it reopened at the same time as the roadside station facility.[3][9][10]

References

  1. ^ "事業報告書及び決算報告書" (PDF). 公益財団法人千歳青少年教育財団.
  2. ^ "List of Aquariums" (PDF). jazga.or.jp. Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Retrieved 12 June 2010.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "About 千歳水族館について". 11 June 2015.
  4. ^ JAZA. "正会員名簿【水族館】" (in Japanese). Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  5. ^ "法律上の位置付けがある登録博物館・指定施設". 文化庁. 27 February 2024.
  6. ^ "インディアン水車". 北海道千歳市公式ホームページ.
  7. ^ "ふ化放流事業の歴史". 水産総合研究センター 北海道区水産研究所.
  8. ^ "道の駅サーモンパーク千歳". 北海道ファンマガジン. 14 March 2008.
  9. ^ "歓声響く サケのふるさと千歳水族館が開館". 苫小牧民報. 苫小牧民報社. 25 July 2015.
  10. ^ "道の駅サーモンパーク千歳・サケのふるさと千歳水族館グランドオープン". 苫小牧民報. 苫小牧民報社. 8 August 2015.