The State of the Pole and Line Tuna Industry

My first blog entry refers to the current situation facing the South African and Namibian tuna pole and line vessel owners. The tuna trading company that I work for provides financial assistance on an annual basis. 2013 has seen a record high of applicants seeking assistance to cover the financial costs associated with the repairs and maintenance of their respective vessels. Each vessel needs to undergo a bottom (hull) and top survey. Only upon passing both surveys will the vessel then be granted a seaworthy status by the South African Maritime Safety Association (SAMSA).

A photo before the surveying and maintenance of the MFV Otterdam on the slip

A photo showing the MFV Otterdam surveyed and ready to come off the slip

The past 3 years we have seen a steady decrease in the total tonnages being landed by each vessel despite the majority of the fleet now having sonar fitted. The past 3 years of poor fishing has compounded the financial troubles of the vessel owners and will soon have no other options but to sell their vessels or apply to the Department Of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) to fish in another sector, such as Hake long line.

The fishing method of poling for tuna is extremely labor intensive with vessels accommodating a crew capacity of upwards of 20 fisherman. Poling for tuna is proven to be the most sustainable method for wild caught tuna but this comes at a price. As the vessels are catching free schooling tuna, the diesel consumption per liter of diesel is higher than most other fishing methods when converted down to a per kilogram ration percentage. In South Africa we will pole mid ships on the leeward side of the vessel with the crew protected from the elements by a shelter deck spanning the length of the windward side of the vessel which is predominantly the starboard side of the vessel. In the Maldives for example, the poling vessels catch around an open stern area of the vessel and this is possible due to the calmer seas in which they operate.

There are various factors pertaining to the steady decrease but one can only speculate without the necessary scientific data to back up these speculations.

Firstly, we need to understand that our tuna caught in South African and Namibian 200 nautical mile (nm) Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is a migratory animal and wonders the Atlantic Ocean with disregard for political borders and is seasonal. The pole and line vessels usually catch tuna in South Africa between October to May and the winter months for the long line vessels.

Climate change as documented by the effects of El Nino has created a shift in our currents and prevailing winds. Last year the SE wind only blew for a fraction of what is considered "normal" and somewhat lack luster at that. We rely upon this wind to blow the warmer Mozambique current around Agulhas upon where large eddy’s of warmer water, some spanning many a tens of nautical miles in diameter around our coast, where it is helped along by the colder Benguela current up towards Namibia. We are finding the surface temperatures of the Atlantic around our coast changing which has the added result of higher concentrations of chloroform. The tuna like specific conditions and if these are not met, they will simply move on to “greener pastures.” We are finding these suitable conditions less and further in between.

The below satellite image shows the warmer water (red) approaching Cape Aghulas from where it will begin to wrap around our coast up towards the Namibian border. Currently the 15-16* Celsius water is ideal for the tuna longliners. The tuna pole vessels will look to target the schooling albacore and yellowfin found in the warmer temperature band.

Courtesy of Buoyweather.com

South Africa’s EZZ stretches some 200 nm parallel to our cost except for the Namibian border which is deviated in the Namibian’s favor and this I shall touch on in a later blog, as this subject will be hotly contested in the future. Beyond the 200 nm EEZ, the international waters are fair game to foreign fishing fleets such as the vessels that discharge in Cape Town Harbor. The entire fishing effort within the Southern Atlantic needs to be taken into account as a factor here as these vessels are able to operate beyond our borders and target the tuna with long lining and other fishing methods such as purse seining.

Seismic testing that is being conducted in South African and Namibian waters is speculated as playing a major role in the absence of the tuna this past season. But once again we lack the scientific data specifically pertaining to tuna and this remains to be recognized as a direct factor. I shall touch more on this subject at a later date as this is a topic all unto itself.

With the past couple of years having been felt as the worst in recorded history for this industry, we can only wait and see what the future will hold for the South African and Namibian tuna fishermen. With fingers crossed and abated breath we all patiently await the arrival of the first albacore and yellowfin tunas.