Study on Revitalization Incorporating Improvement of Social Recognition and Attractiveness of Public Marinas

Although sea bathing is a typical marine recreation, the annual number of people participating in sea bathing has drastically declined from 120 million people (i.e., equivalent to the total population of Japan) at its peak, to 20 million people. Similarly, the ownership of pleasure boats, which once peaked at 440,000, has been declining over the years. Marinas are particularly important for their function as centers of sport fishing, which is the second most popular marine recreation after sea bathing. There are about 520 marinas in Japan, of which about one quarter are public marinas. The rise and fall of public marinas greatly affects not just the decline of the user population but also the economic activity of the surrounding regions. The present study focused on public marinas, which hold central importance among marine recreational facilities. Measures for revitalizing public marinas are discussed from a comprehensive perspective.