Restraint on intake of fish and shellfish, and compensation to the industry
In the area around Minamata Bay, in 1956, when it became clear that intake of fish and shellfish might be the cause of the disease, the control of intake of fish and shellfish taken from Minamata Bay and self-restraint of work by the fishing cooperative are started by guidance of Kumamoto Prefecture et al. This guidance had lasted with some interruptions until early in October 1997, when the dividing nets in Minamata Bay were completely removed. During this period, Chisso Co. Ltd. paid to the fishing industry as compensation, 140 million yen in 1959 fiscal year (FY), 3,930 million yen in 1973-74 FYs, and 950 million yen in 1992-98 FYs.
In the Agano River basin, after June 1965, when Minamata Disease was just discovered there, Niigata Prefecture took measures that are guidance for the concerned fishing cooperative to self-restrain catching fish and shellfish, and for the concerned people to control intake