A red snow crab fisher in central Japan has landed his first haul since the New Year's day earthquake left his equipment devastated.

Shiotani Hisao has worked as a crab fisher for 45 years and operates out of a port in Imizu City, Toyama Prefecture. Three boats that catch the local winter delicacy are based at the port.

The quake caused heavy damage to crab traps on the seabed, with many of them buried or swept away.

Shiotani lost all of his traps. But he worked hard to resume fishing and placed new ones in the sea in late January.

On Saturday, he checked and found that he had a good catch.
The more than 450 crabs that he put up for auction at the fishing port were sold briskly.

Shiotani said the 40-day break from fishing passed quickly, because he and his crew were busy preparing to resume operations, while trying to forget about the lost traps. He added that he can only move forward step by step.