Skipjack fishery in the Maldives

Photo credit: Tim Huntington (UK – Poseidon)

Review: Abdel Rahman El Gamal (Founder of the website)

Skipjack in the Maldives

 

 

 

 

The landing of skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) in the Maldives amounts about 20% of the reported total Indian Ocean skipjack catch whereas the catches in the Maldives peaked in 2006 amounting to 138,000 tons, but have been declining afterwards reaching 59,000 tons in 2010.

The majority of skipjack tuna are caught from live pole-and line fishery, while the remaining is caught from the hand line and longline fishery.

Traditionally, the one-day fishing operation used to be adopted. In such case, fishermen do not take ice on boat and they return to port by evening with whatever catch they have. Skilled fishermen are capable to spot the free swimming tuna schools by observing frigatebirds  as they fly high over the ocea.

The inserted picture shows the landing of the skipjack catch. As the fish are temporarily laid loose on the beach, it indicates this quantity is a single day catch.

 

 

Permanent link to this article: https://fishconsult.org/?p=13131