The nori season in Futtsu City, Chiba Prefecture runs from November to April. Because nori is not"caught" like fish but is cultivated in the ocean, nori growers are more like farmers of the sea than they are fishermen. During this season, the farmers put in long hours, working from six in the morning or even earlier until dusk, planting and then removing the grown seaweed from the nets. Seedlings are"sown" five times during this period. Nori farmers usually work by themselves using small boats. Some parts of the process, such as rolling up of the nets,can be performed using machines, while others prefer to remove the seaweed by hand.