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!