A lot has happened since my last diary. First of all we celebrated a fantastic year for the ATF team in Brazil! We acheived something we have all been working toward - "zero birds captured" during our ATF trips at-sea in the longline fishery – a huge result! However, our work is not done! We now need to help the entire fleet adopt the measures we have shown work so well.
This year we are also ready for another challenge! An innovative invention called the Hook Pod created by Global Seabird Programme Coordinator Ben Sullivan and developed by an English company called Fishtek Ltd. We were provided with some to test in a commercial setting in the Brazilian longline fleet. The Hook Pod is a capsule that protects the barb of the hook and thus prevents seabirds from becoming hooked during longline line setting operations.
The cunning design behind this device is a mechanism that releases the hook as it sinks below 10m, leaving the hook free to fish for fish. Therefore its use does not disturb negatively influence the fishery and helps the birds fly by in peace.
For the first trials we rented a fishing boat and I went to sea together with Tatiana (Projeto Albatroz, Brazil) and Oliver Yates (ATF - Coordinator). As often happens in sea trips we had to postpone due to a tropical cyclone hitting the coast of Brazil (see the synoptic chart)! We therefore stayed on shore for two days until the cyclone passed, or at least the worst of it.
We eventually headed out in the early morning into some heavy breakers crashing into the bow of the vessel. With all the wind and swell, it was not long before we spotted the first Yellow-nosed albatross, just 20 minutes from the coast.
We spent a whole day steaming out to the fishing grounds and then in the late afternoon we began testing the Hook Pods.
As usual the first day working at-sea is not great fun, especially in some rough seas but it is all part of our work! However, we were encouraged to pass the first few lines without a single problem, the Hook Pods working wonderfully well and fitting into the fishing operation with ease. Most importantly the fishermen liked them and collaborated in spectacular fashion. Finally, after the storm subsided we awoke to calm waters for our last days at sea. The ships’ cook prepared a fantastic barbecue for us which we rapidly and hungrily consumed, as at the beginning of the trip we didn’t have much appetite!
The image shows Fabiano working onboard. Photo: Oli Yates