During the last month I was at-sea aboard a wet fish trawl vessel - a kind of trawler that keeps the catch fresh on ice instead of processing and blast-freezing like the industrial trawlers.
We sailed out of the port in Mar del Plata where I live in the north east of Argentina. The crew were already aware of our work as I have visited the vessel in port before. This trip they had agreed to collaborate with the ATF and test mitigation measures on board during their routine fishing operations.
On this vessel the crew included some 20 guys, it was a comfortable boat, spacious and I was able to work without any problem. This was my first trip on board a vessel from the wet fish fleet and it was interesting to see the differences in fishing techniques from the larger vessels I am more accustomed to. The deck is much closer to sea level as there is no processing factory below deck, so all fish catch is sorted and stored on deck.
Another interesting characteristic of these smaller vessels is that there is no-one to help with the various domestic duties on board, which is something you generally find on the larger vessels. This would become an important difference for me on this trip!
Having finished a long day on deck observing the abundance of seabirds and associated interactions with the fishing gear, plus testing mitigation measures I headed to my cabin looking forward to a good shower before getting some rest. The bathroom, as on most trawlers, is shared by many of the crew and the sanitary conditions depends largely on the good will of the other guys who are using it.
When I arrived at the bathroom with my towel and bar of soap, I rapidly realised that the entire room was flooded! The water had clearly not come from the sea and contained an infinite and suspect variety of colours. At that point, I wondered whether I would be able to muster the courage to enter the room to have a wash, but my need for a shower was greater than my fear of the impending doom brought on by the situation.
I stood for a few moments, paralysed while I looked around in hope for someone who might accept this unpleasant chore as their own, but I quickly realised they were not going to appear.
I had no choice; I grabbed a close-by container and started bailing. Once finished I sought out some cleaning products and gave the entire room a good wash. Everyone who passed the bathroom made jokes and I, with a long face, kept concentrated on my sorrowful task. This gave me insight into the fact that some vessels are very much ‘do it yourself’ boats and I had learned a quick lesson.
It is best to get to the bathroom early!
Below a picture of my cabin, with a sign in front of the bunk stating 'keep the cabin tidy'!!