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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