Finally we started setting out the fishing and tori lines.
After three days anchored, the weather was better and we could reach the fishing area where we did the first set.
The tori lines were ready, but according to the protocol established on previous trips, the first set was accomplished without using a tori line, and also because the crew had more time to get used to this new routine and with my presence on board.
During this set, I could observe that the gear used by this vessel is quite different compared with other vessels. In particular, the main line presents a higher floatability, being exposed at the surface for a long period. This characteristic is an extra risk for the accidental capture of seabirds, and I hope that the mitigation measures adopted on board may avoid the risks.
The weather is good, but pretty cold and for the Brazilians, very, very freezing - around 9º Celsius. Outside, penguins and sea lions make it clear to us that we are going to a nice fishing area.
The first albatrosses appeared, we are right now at 27º 43,03' S with 48º 31,49' W and I take this opportunity to ask the crew to build the tori line which will be used on this fishing cruise.
We have a good moon, and it is very good to know that I can count on the entire collaboration of the crew to test the use of the tori line on board.
At the end of the afternoon, the weather started to change. A cold wind is coming which might cause some difficulties in starting the fishing activities. The skipper decided to sail to a protected bay until the sea became easier...
Onboard the longline fishing vessel 'Verde Vale XI'
As part of our work putting bird scaring devices (tori lines) on longline fishing vessels who use the port of Itajai, I am visiting the Verde Vale vessel. They have heard about all the awareness raising activities that we at the Albatross Task Force are doing. The skipper has agreed to have me on board.
So, I am going to sea with them to introduce the tori lines in their fishing operation. On this vessel, we are going to test a new model of tori line - all the time we are searching for the best way to make this method of protecting seabirds the most efficient as possible. We use information collected from previous sea trips and interviews with the fishermen themselves.
Although this vessel often uses the Rio Grande harbor, in extreme southern Brazil, the fishing industry is based at Itajaí and the skipper lives at the same city. This is good for us, through personal contact with this skipper it gives us the possibility of introducing the seabird methods into vessels using the Rio Grande port as well.
After a vessel inspection and an interview with the crew, we installed two cables for the tori lines. All the crew helped building the tori lines and at this time, I had the chance to explain them the methodology to be used, the work of the Albatros Task Force and the seabirds' biology.
We hope that with these talks, we could get them to use the tori line in all their sea trips, in order to minimize the incidental capture of seabirds.
I've been at sea for 20 days. I have so much news to tell!
We left Santos on June 6 and sailed to the Brazilian south coast. The sea conditions were so calm they permitted me to contemplate the beautiful days and sunsets during two days of sailing it took until we reached the fishing area.
The longline vessels here in Brazil usually set the fishing gear around 6 pm and finish at 11 pm, when they set around 1,200 baited hooks. During the settings we have a good opportunity to tell the fishermen the importance of the seabirds, because they work in turns during this time.
I had the chance to explain to them the decline of the seabird population, the conservation status and the seabirds' origin. To show the importance of the seabirds is crucial, because they are the people that have the most frequent contact with these seabirds. The solution for seabird bycatch is in their hands!
In the mornings after the settings, we wake up at 5.30 am to look for the longlines that we settled the other night. We started to haul all the hooks. An enormous variety of marine animals are captured, among sharks, swordfishes and tuna fish that have a high commercial value in Brazil. Besides these fishes, there are some captured that have no commercial value, including seabirds and sea turtles.
Here in Brazil, a fishing cruise sets between 14 to 16 times per fishing trip, and the trip lasts between 20 to 25 days, depending on which fishing area the skipper chose.
From the second set, the skipper agreed to test the tori line (or streamer line, if you prefer) to evaluate how this gear would be adapted to this vessel. He tested the tori line in many settings but one day, in a very turbulent sea conditions, he decided to not use the tori lines. Unfortunately in this day, we captured one black-browed albatross.
After several settings using the tori lines, he felt very motivated because the tori line efficiency was clear, for both reducing seabird bycatch and improving the fishing capacity.
I reinforced the technical information, telling him that for each seabird captured, they lost around 20 baits. This means that by using the tori lines he can fish better.
After he had captured the seabird, the skipper started to use the tori line on all the other days until the end of the fishing cruise.
What I really love in my work is that, through these simple information, these simple people start to admire the seabirds that fly from such far away places such as South Georgia, Tristan da Cunha and Falklands.