I recently conducted a harbour visit at one of Cape Town’s most elegant and popular tourist attraction spots, Hout Bay harbour. Situated in the south-west of Cape Town and bordered by the amazing Table Mountain on the east, Hout Bay harbour has become very popular as a seaside resort to both local and international tourists.
Harbour visits are integral to the objectives of Albatross Task Force (ATF) and this one was most special as it was my first at this exotic harbour. I use these harbour visits to engage in an informal setting with fishermen about their recent fishing activities and their experiences with the current seabird mitigation measures. Fishermen are often at ease when working at ports and are more open about their fishing activities.
Upon arrival at the Hout Bay harbour, I met many fishermen from both the tuna pole and hake longline fisheries. Most of these fishermen have heard about seabird conservation and were fully aware of the current mitigation measures. But surprisingly enough, most of them were not aware of the parlous conservation state of albatrosses and other vulnerable seabirds. Most of them echoed the great number of seabirds feeding behind fishing vessels and used that to argue that seabird populations are not in danger. It was only after I explained briefly and swiftly to them that they started realising and appreciating the dire state of these seabirds and the irrefutable urgency needed to curb seabird mortalities within their respective fisheries. I reiterated to them that seabird conservation is possible but to achieve it, would require a complete change of mind and attitude towards seabirds and other vulnerable marine species that coexist with fish.
Following informal chats with fishermen on one local tuna pole boat, one crew said to me that they accidentally kill quite a few diving birds such as great shearwaters and white-chinned petrels as they dive down to seize the bait. When asked if it was okay to do so, he said to me that all fishermen in his fishery were doing that without fear of retribution or reproach. After he realised that I was disconcerted with his remarks, he said “we are only killing those small ones because our skipper has warned us not to touch an albatross”. I was moved by these remarks but more so by the lack of knowledge of conservation of the majestic seabirds.
I knew then that an awareness campaign was crucial to change the mindset and what I consider “blatant brutalization” of seabirds by some but definitely not all fishermen. We are now embarking on a fisherman’s workshop intended to educate and raise awareness about the plight of seabirds. The workshop will address current mitigation measures and various aspects of seabird conservation. I have no doubt that this workshop will provide invaluable knowledge to both fishermen and the entire fishing industry.
Below: Tshikana in the port with members of the fishing industry