04/08/2024
BENEFITS OF LONGLINE FISHING
Longline fishing, when practiced responsibly and sustainably, can offer several benefits. Let’s take a closer look at some of them.
REDUCED ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE
Compared to other fishing techniques, longline fishing causes minimal disruptions to the environment. Trawling, in particular, has been shown to destroy the natural seafloor habitat by dragging a large net across the seabed. This method can be very harmful to the environment as it impacts many natural habitats and animals who live on the seafloor.
Longline fishing, on the other hand, does not interfere with the ocean floor. The lines simply soak in the water without causing a major impact on underwater environments. The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) also offers a certification for long-line operations that are committed to improving their monitoring programs and mitigating interactions with non-target species.
REDUCED BYCATCH
Bycatch, or the unintentional catch of non-target species, is always a concern in the fishing industry. Longline fishing has significantly lower levels of bycatch, especially compared to trawling which uses a large net to indiscriminately catch fish.
On board Calypso we follow current bycatch reduction measures include the use of circle hooks. These hooks are (as the name suggests) circular and have a smaller opening that reduces the likelihood of turtles and marine mammals ingesting hooks or being caught. The experts emphasize that circle hooks used in combination with finfish bait like sardines significantly reducing sea turtle bycatch.
Longline fishing operations can also follow these recommendations to reduce the severity of potential bycatch:
• Minimize soak times
• Limit mainline length
• Follow safe handling and release protocols
• Use tori-lines to scare away seabirds
• Employ weighted long lines that sink more quickly
SELECTIVE TARGETING
Longline fishing allows for more precise targeting of species, which is also a component that helps mitigate bycatch. We can be deliberate with our hooks, bait, and location of the longline to target species.
Not only does this make for more efficient fishing, but it can also help in the conservation of overfished species by focusing on more abundant and sustainable ones.
HIGH-QUALITY FISH
When fish are caught in massive nets or dragged across the sea floor, they are also more likely to be beaten up. Sometimes the damage is visible, however often it can also be bruises to their flesh that isn’t evident until the fish has been filleted or cooked.
Longline fishing resolves this problem by ensuring each fish is handled with care. Rather than hauling in thousands of fish at once, fishermen must un-hook one fish at a time from the longline , keeping the fish un-bruised and yielding the highest quality seafood. This helps to maintain peak quality of the fish from boat to plate.
Onboard Calypso we only use the sustainable, long-line fishing method. We can deliver fish within hours of catch, and then we hand-select only the best that end up reaching your plate.
