An international fisheries conference on restoring stocks of the Pacific saury opened in northern Japan on Wednesday.

A major focus is whether a Japanese proposal for further cuts in quotas for an autumn favorite in the country will win the support of other participants.

Fisheries officials from nine countries and regions, including Japan, Russia, China and Taiwan, are meeting in the city of Sapporo for three days.

Saury catches in the North Pacific have plunged in recent years. Two years ago, a total quota of about 330,000 tons was set for 2021 and 2022, down 40 percent from 2020.

But the combined catches by members of the North Pacific Fisheries Commission reportedly only reached about 92,000 tons in 2021, far less than the agreed ceiling.

That prompted the Japanese delegation headed by the Fisheries Agency to suggest further quota reductions to promote the recovery of stocks.

It remains unclear whether the other members will agree, given the cautious stance of China and others over additional regulation of fisheries activity.