Last week I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity (along with a member of WWF’s Responsible Fisheries Programme) to spend a few days at sea on the South African Government’s offshore patrol vessel. This trip was very different from my normal trips onboard the commercial fishing vessels.
I learned a huge amount about poaching of abalone and at-sea vessel inspections from the compliance officers aboard the PV Sarah Baartman during the trip. The five compliance officers spent a few hours each evening with us during some interactive discussion sessions. This gave us the opportunity to talk about the ecosystem and impacts of fishing and discuss some of the permit conditions relating to seabirds and other bycatch species.
They were very eager to learn about the aspects of seabird mitigation and in return helped us to understand some of the permit conditions of the fishery. One of our main topics was the regulation of the tori lines that should be used in the fisheries.
During the day we were able to put this all into practice, when we accompanied the officers to fishing vessels they were inspecting. Here they checked the permits of vessels, the fishing gear and operations. They made a special effort in checking the tori lines and how they would fly in the water; explaining to the fishermen why some of the materials they were using were not the best. Our contribution gave them greater depth in the reasoning behind the seabird mitigation measures.
These vessel inspections were done using rubber ducks (semi-rigid inflatable boats) that were deployed from the main patrol vessel. The boarding process in these small vessels gave me plenty of time to teach the officers some of the facts about the seabirds that we encountered around the fishing vessels. Many were amazed at the detailed information I mentioned, as they had not paid much attention to seabirds on previous trips!
While at sea we have started collecting information cards on seabird abundance for another project known as AS@S (Atlas of Seabirds at Sea) and it has really given people the opportunity to ask more questions about seabirds. I find that while I am busy doing these observations at least one of the crew of the vessels will come and learn more about what I am doing, creating a perfect platform for discussion about seabird conservation!
The summer is the slow period for fishing activities in Brazil. The work is limited to the preparation of up and coming trips and improving the equipment, mitigation and conducting important meetings with our colleagues.
Frequently such activities are carried out in pleasant places close to the port. This way the fishermen receive us more openly as they are not under pressure from their company to prepare the vessel and weigh anchor. After all, the port is a busy place.
We are able to gather a lot of new information from these visits and they are important times, to give you an idea I would describe it as something like the build up to a football season!
Many old friends that have moved to other regions to fish return and we have the chance to discuss where and when we will be able to arrange our at-sea trips. It is more like visiting family on some of these vessels and I consider each vessel a second home.
Apart from the vessels that always return and anchor here, we often see others who are less trusting and it takes a long time for them to speak with us. To gain their interest we usually ask them about the different techniques they use to find good fishing grounds.
One is related to the oil industry; the oil rigs act as fish aggregating devices, as small fish are attracted to the structure for protection in the high seas and where small fish are found large predators like tuna will arrive in good numbers.
Some of the local fishermen have realised this and use live bait in and around oil rigs to exploit reliable source of tuna catches. Once we have discussed these issues for a while, we throw in what interests us – “and what about the birds?” we ask.
Typically, at first no one will admit that they catch albatrosses.
Others in the conversation begin to laugh and tease the guy who denies it. Then they admit that, perhaps once a bird came onboard but a shark had eaten it first or some story. More laughter, more teasing and eventually the truth comes out, that yes, they do catch birds accidentally. This is when we provide leaflets and information about how to use mitigation and avoid this capture.
From there we can build a new relationship and generate the opportunity to go to sea with the new vessel. As trust grows, the fishermen feel part of the programme and realise the importance of our work.
This is how we do it in Brazil!
Our trips at-sea don’t always turn out to be happy experiences, and we don’t always achieve our objectives when we get onboard a vessel. My last sea-trip was testament to this.
It began in Puerto Madryn from where many Argentinean trawler vessels weigh anchor. We set off on May 4 and sailed two and a half days towards the southern tip of Argentina.
The first surprise was the presence of a large number of grey-headed albatrosses that accompanied the vessel. These are probably one of the most beautiful seabirds that I have had the pleasure of observing. Unfortunately, that same day the problems started.
A deep-sea trawl fishing net is an extremely heavy element, perhaps weighing around four or five tonnes. To manoeuvre this gear, the trawl vessels have powerful motors to deploy and retrieve the nets to and from the sea floor.
On the first day fishing the motors on this vessel suddenly started to fail! This meant that we were forced to spend a day returning to the nearest port, Puerto Deseado, to meet up with technicians to sort out the problem.
The next day, with repairs completed, we headed back out to sea but due to the delays stopped within 12 hours or so from port to search for schools of hake. This gave me the chance to start evaluating the seabird bycatch and our mitigation measures. However, as we hit the second day, everything got worse.
Shockingly, one of the main engines failed and the vessel’s hull began to rip open! A tiny crack in the engine room had started to spread. At this time our lives were suddenly in real danger. The captain directed the vessel towards land and laid on all the power available. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew practiced the routine of abandoning ship in case the situation worsened.
With waves of over four metres, we found ourselves out on deck, adorned with life jackets and listening intently to the officers who explained which life raft each of must take. Under these situations you really realise the danger that we confront every time we head out to sea.
After 12 hours, we finally arrived in port and this time we stayed put.
Onshore again we all felt safe and sound, happy although worried for the situation that we had just endured and hoping that we would not have to go through such turmoil again. This is the real life at-sea for so many and to keep this work moving we must adapt to it as best we can.