The ministry of fisheries and agriculture plans to introduce drag line fishing to Maldives, in a departure from the traditional pole and line fishing used in the country.
The proposed ‘long line’ fishing involves a horizontal drag line with many baited hooks left out for a couple of hours. Unlike pole and line fishing, environmentalists claim this method produces lots of ‘by-catch’, including turtles, sharks and sea birds.
“We are going for multi-gear fisheries, where some will adopt the long line method and others will continue with pole and line” says State Minister for Fisheries and Agriculture Dr Hussain Rasheed.
Increasing fish catch
Dr Rasheed says the decision stems from an urgent need to diversify the fishing industry.
“In our fishing fleet, boats that are bigger than 85 feet are moored at ports for months at a stretch as oil prices are too expensive,” he explains. These boats need to catch up to 2-3 tonnes of fish just to justify costs.”
He reasons long line fishing will increase the fish catch, saying “even though research has shown that yellow fin tuna is decreasing in the Indian Ocean, we have a robust and healthy skipjack stock.”
Across the spectrum all industry shareholders agree there is a need to counter act the decrease in fish catch.
Deputy Managing Director of Horizon fisheries one of the leading fish exporters in the country, Mohamed Rasheed (Mooshid) says since 2006 the fish catch has been on the decrease.
“In this economic crisis we need to find ways for boats to go out fishing, we need a new way of thinking.”
The problem of by-catch
Almost around the same time as the introduction of long line fishing, a total ban on shark export is going to come into effect next month.
Coincidentally, sharks also happen to be the biggest by-catch of long line fishing.
Environmentalists like Ali Rilwan, director of environmental NGO Blue Peace, finds this ironic.
“We are implementing a total ban and then starting something that is shark fishing by another name,” he says.
Rilwan maintains those who catch sharks now utilise almost the same method.
“The sharks are not going to know the bait is for other fish, and as the baits will be in deeper water it will attract the sharks.”
He also points out that with the ban on shark exports the by-catch will become a total waste, as shark fins and meat can’t be exported.
“And the larger problem is how we will be perceived; our fish export is marketed abroad as one that is caught through a dolphin and environmentally friendly method.”
Rilwan claims long line fishing will destroy this reputation.
UK department store retailer Marks and Spencer is a major buyer of Maldivian canned tuna. The company visited the Maldives recently and held extensive talks with stakeholders to establish that the fish was caught according to environmentally friendly methods.
Even Mooshid has reservations on the new method.
“Long line is not the best method, it’s not sustainable, and unlike pole and line there’s a lot of by-catch, and we will have a shark ban in March,” he says.
However he also adds he is at a loss to figure out the best method to counter the problem of decreasing fish catch.
Dr Rasheed agrees the by-catch issue is a problem but acknowledges the ministry will implement ways to mitigate it.
“There is an internationally-allowed level of by catch. All the countries do it, and it’s not like we are targeting the sharks intentionally.”
He says even now in the EEZ zone, the European fleets catch big-eyed tuna and yellow fin via nets.
“Even if we don’t others are harvesting it that way, meaning we are losing economically while they get an edge over us if we use only pole and line.”
Groups of five boats will be allowed 100 miles outside the economic zone to do long line fishing “or else we would have conflict with those who do pole and line.”
“Sharks might well be alive after four hours, as they won’t drown, so we will release them if they are alive, Rasheed says. “We will also take bird mitigating measures, and study the problems other countries have encountered with by-catch and find ways to reduce it.”
Rilwan thinks the damage that will be done to both the environment and the Maldives’ reputation will not be worth it.
“We should ask for preferential treatment from the EU for not being part of the problem that is depleting the yellow fin tuna stock,” he says, scoffing at the idea that sharks will be found alive. “Even dhonis are hardly going to get in between each line and release sharks. It will not be something that will be practiced.”
One of the architects of the shark export ban, environmental consultant Mari Saleem, says she can’t say whether sharks will be found alive after such a long while “fishermen say the sharks are dead when they find them.”
Mari says there is no way she can ask to stop the development of fisheries.
“The fisheries sector is encountering problems now, and someday new methods are going to be introduced so we might as well make sure that the least harm is done when these methods are practiced.”
She says expertise is needed to implement ways to lessen by-catch like using a specific type of bait hooks and other measures.
“The timing is difficult and it will be difficult for fishermen to adapt to this.”
Her talks with stakeholders also show that there is not much enthusiasm for long line fishing.
“The value of our fish export might go down, because we have marketed ourselves as doing environmentally friendly fishing.”
What to do with the by-catch also remains a problem and she floats the idea that like in the islands of Palau, the by-catch could be burned.
“The big question is, is it worth to take the risk of doing long line fishing, has the cost benefit analysis been done and a risk assessment taken?”
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The government is offering lame excuses and it is an proven fact in any discipline that sustainable management is the best approach, when we deal with natural resources. I do appreciate the previous government as they have rejected the proposals to longline fishing despite the enormous pressures they have faced by some pressure groups. President Nasheed's government does not have a qualified leadership and therefore the best idea for them would be to do exploit the resources albeit it causes any unpredictable damages and losses.
Furthermore, Value creation does not happen overnight. It takes years and years and if we loose the identity of our product it is less likely that we could regain it in a near future in the global competition.
And finally, Its is very absurd and deeply hurtening as a Maldivian citizen that the current government implements spontaneous policies without studying its impacts which are very unconventional to the approach of the rest of the world in which a long term vision and strategy is formed and design policies to achieve those vision. I don't find any such attribute from the present government.
who says long line fishing increases the tuna catch? does Doc have any evidence this will increase fish catch, before he embarks on a policy that could damage the maldives' valuable tuna brand?
the Maldives is not a Maldives coz of the fish they catch out of it seas..it is Maldives coz it has a diverse marine environment..Long line fishing posses a great threat to diversity of the marine environment. It could lead to great a threat to the already endangered species like turtles and sharks. If yellow fin tuna stocks are declining that dose not gives us a alarm that say ‘hey guy’s u need to wipe it all’ we need to be me more smart than that. We need to think of alternatives other than introducing a form of exploitation of the marine environment...the Maldives could survive better by conserving and protecting our environment than exploitation. We have plenty of excess jobs in tourism sector where the sector entirely depends on a diverse marine life and the beaches..
Please stick to pole and line fishing. Other methods do not go... er..for eg., with our carbon neutral pledge.
And Dr HRH, don't kid yourself with "...and it’s not like we are targeting the sharks intentionally."
Pooh!
what are the alternatives? we also have to find a way to sustain jobs and food. i wonder what other methods of fishing is available for us, purse seining, trawling... It seems long-lining is the best for now. By the way other countries have come up with ways to reduce by catch by using circle hooks and alike. Further, long-lining done for big-eye or yellowfin is not same as long-lining for sharks. the area of operation is different, the type of hook is specifically designed for tuna, bait itself is intended for tuna. Am not saying there wont be by-catch but given the alternatives, this is the best i think.
Governments try to avoid or stop different forms of exploitation..They do not promote things that could lead to exploitation of resources and this government just launched the year for biodiversity this week and now announced they plan to introduce long line fishing which is method of fisheries strongly criticized by environmental lobby groups. The fisheries of Maldives so far has been environmentally friendly and why dose the government under the banner of Save the Planet wants to introduce this …maybe the dentist at fisheries ministry needs to do some home work..Here are some references:
http://www.greens.org/s-r/36/36-01.html
http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/issues_facing_wildlife/longline_fishing_threatens_seabirds_and_other_marine_life.html
http://www.hsi.org.au/?catID=119
I agree we need to sustain jobs and food, but I think it is also important that we do it in a sustainable way, keeping our long-term interests in mind. If long-line is to be allowed again, I think it is extremely important that the relevant authorities do the research that is needed. Afterall, in the end, we may be securing our economy, but is it not just as important to ensure that we do it in a sustainable manner, keeping the long-term in mind?
Is it Bluepeace or Blue Peace?
http://www.greens.org/s-r/36/36-01.html
http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/issues_facing_wildlife/longline_fishing_threatens_seabirds_and_other_marine_life.html
seriously, they need to be 100% sure they are going to increase the catch of tuna a lot before introducing long lining. those big western supermakets like mark and spencers may not buy maldives tuna if they introduce long lining because it is not good for environment... meaning price for our tuna will fall and even if you catch more fish because the price has fallen fishermen will be worse off. has ministry considered all these things? or is this some idea the Dr. thought up in the shower to make ministry look like it is doing something, anything
Shakir has a made point there. Also we can t one day allow long line fishing and when people adopt this method for fishing, we can t say again yooohoo this is a mistake please stop. We need to think and be more strategic, we need to to see what are the issues in other countries where long line fishing is practiced. Dr. Rasheed and people hold PHDs and all these certificates but why cant he read one of the many issue like these easily seen e.g
http://www.adventure-life.com/articles/fishing-galapagos-4
According to a report by the American Sea Turtle Restoration Trust, "Many species found in the longline 'bycatch' have been seriously depleted and some pushed towards extinction."
An experimental pilot plan has already been carried out in the Galapagos for 96 days. 845 units of intended fish prey were captured, along with 568 unintended fish, including 482 sharks, 60 rays and 20 turtles. These results speak for themselves.
“In our fishing fleet, boats that are bigger than 85 feet are moored at ports for months at a stretch as oil prices are too expensive,” he explains. These boats need to catch up to 2-3 tonnes of fish just to justify costs.” - er, use small boats?
"Longlining fishing gear consists of a 60-mile main line attached to 2,000 branch lines, each up to 1,200 feet long and which have deadly hooks baited with squid or fish. Utilizing giant winches, these vessels can haul in the more than 500 miles of line deployed each set, laden with hundreds of fish and other marine species including sharks, turtles, whales and sea birds creating a 'curtain of death'.
"Sea turtles are among the endangered victims of the longline. Attracted to the bait used on longline hooks, turtles die slowly from swallowing them. They may also be severely injured by a hook in the mouth or by a hook that snags their flippers as they swim near the gear. Turtles can get entangled in the lines. They can drown if a large fish near them bites a hook and drags the line down so that the turtle cannot surface for air. The leatherback sea turtle is especially vulnerable to this fishing method, in part because the light sticks used to attract fish look like jellyfish, their favorite food." So much for the turtles and Maldives' diving industry.
"Now in the EEZ zone, the European fleets catch big-eyed tuna and yellow fin via nets," - why are these foreign boats allowed to take all our fish? ban them and then there will be more fish for maldivian fishermen
yea Ban EEZ fishing by Europeans and
Asian Fleets they are the ones taking the tuna away..
The government really is on a roll being generally counterproductive and shamelessly hypocritical huh. Hats off to them. You really have to appreciate the effort they're putting into being as nonsensical as possible.
Big boats is the result of not managing the fisheries sector in Maldives and to tackle it we are introducing long line fishing??????? Where did the Dr. rasheed get is certificate from..University of Exploitation, Japan.
how to damage government's environmental reputation in one easy policy, by dr rasheed.