Shark Depredation and Unwanted Bycatch in Pelagic Longline

Appendix 3
Fiji Pelagic Longline Tuna Fishery:
Industry Practices and Attitudes towards Shark Depredation
and Unwanted Bycatch
Nicola Thomson, Environment Consultants Fiji, watling@connect.com.fj
A3.1. Introduction
In this study we investigate: (i) The extent of wanted and unwanted
shark by-catch and depredation in pelagic longline fisheries in Fiji
Waters; (ii) existing industry (captains, crew, company directors)
practices to respond to shark interactions and interest in reducing
shark interactions; and (iii) industry opinion on the practicality,
viability and acceptability to fishermen of different methods that could
be used to reduce shark interactions with pelagic longline gear.
A3.2. Methods
We collected informationfor this study through: (i) Interviews of six
fishermen, fleet owners and operators of the Fijian pelagic longline
tuna fishery conducted between 19 and 31 August 2006; (ii) Fiji
longline observer databases (held with the Fijian Department of
Fishe-ries and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community); (iii) Fiji
Bureau of Statistics trade data; and (iv) a literature review.
It was not possible to access Fiji logbook data from the Department of
Fisheries as, according to the department, the data are not currently
complied in a form that can be summarised. However, logbook data
that are included in the Department’s annual report were used to
develop conduct this study.
Of the 6 interviewees, 2 were owner-operators, 3 were captains but
not vessel owners and 1 was a crew member. The 6 fishermen have
been pelagic longlining between 8 and 20 years with a mean of 15
years (SD of 4.5) and have been longlining based from Fiji between 8
and 20 years with a mean of 13 years (SD of 4.9).
In addition, a number of experts were consulted for advice and
information, these people were:
• Tim Lawson, Principal Fisheries Scientist, Oceanic Fisheries
Programme, Secretariat of the Pacific Community;
• Deidre Brogan, Fishery Monitoring Supervisor, Oceanic Fisheries
Programme, Secretariat of the Pacific Community;
• William Sokimi, Fisheries Development Officer, Oceanic Fisheries
Programme, Secretariat of the Pacific Community;
• Apolosi Turaganivalu, Principal Administration Officer, Fiji
Department of Fisheries;
• Neomai Turaganivalu-Ravitu, Fiji Department of Fisheries;
• Anare Raiwalui, Licensing Officer, Tuna Offshore Regulatory
Unit;
• Grahame Southwick, Director, Fiji Fish Limited;
• Robert Stone, Fisheries Consultant, StoneFish (Fiji) Limited;
• Pio Manoa, Lecturer in Marine Policy, University of the South
Pacific; and
• Nilesh Goundar, Oceans Campaigner, Greenpeace South Pacific
Programme.
A3.3. Fiji Fleet Characteristics
In 2006, 66 longline vessels were licensed to operate in Fiji’s EEZ.
Table A3.1 provides a summary of the number of tuna longline
vessels licensed to fish in Fiji Waters over the last few years all of
which come from the domestic fleet. Furthermore, foreign fishing
vessels (mainly Taiwanese and Korean) operating outside Fiji’s EEZ
come to Fiji for transhipment and provisioning, some of these vessels
also off-load their catch at Fiji seaports.
67