The government will seek the suspension of a reclamation project in Isahaya Bay, Nagasaki Prefecture, to check water quality in a reservoir behind the bay's dike from this week, officials said Wednesday.
The move is aimed at finding the causes of this year's poor seaweed crop in the Ariake Sea.
The Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry plans to conduct a 12-day investigation with the Environment Ministry in the 1,710-hectare reservoir and Isahaya Bay, Agriculture Ministry officials said. The investigation will cover water quality, organic materials and nutrient salts in the sludge and soil.