ISSN 0248-076X FISHERIES Newsletter

NUMBERS! APRIL ^ JUNE199? M

IN THIS ISSUE

SPC ACWfTiES Page 2

THE MARINE TRAINING ANNEX ATTOUHO Page 23 VOCATIONAL SECONDARY SCHOOL, NORTHERN PROVINCE, NEW CALEDONIA by J. P. Gaudechoux

SCUBA DIVING IN PACIFIC ISLAND FISHERIES Page 26 DIVISIONS: SAFETY LESSONS TO BE LEARNED by L Farnel and R. Gillett

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South Pacific Commission Prepared by Hamidan Bibi, Senior Fisheries Assistant (Information), a Fiji Fisheries Division and Jean-Paul Gaudechoux, Fisheries Information Oflicer SPC ACTIVITIES

ITWENTVrFOURTH,REGIONAL TECHNICAL MEETING ON FISHERIES (RTMF) This annual meeting, which re­ presented for consideration by the desirability of mtroducrng a views the Commission's fish­ the workshop. Regional, Deckhand Certifica­ eries activities for the last 12 tion frogramme for Pacific Is^ months and sets future direc­ The question of co-ordination land fisrierrnen serving the off­ tions for the programme, will be and the certificate proposal shore fishing industry. held from 3 to 7 August at SPC arose from the report of the 1991 headquarters in Noumea, New Human Resource Development The workshop will give coun­ Caledonia. (HRD) Survey which was for­ tries the opportunity to direct • mally presented to RTMF 23. the priorities of trie SPC Re- ' The draft agenda for the meet­ The study produced a wide gional Fisheries Training ing, subject to modification, is range of recommendations of Project. The agenda promises to shown below. interest to the training sector, be interesting. A summary of concerning in particular future the workshop will feature in the The meeting will host a one- approaches to training require­ next SPC Fisheries Newsletter. day Workshop on Fisheries ments at both regional and na­ Education and Training. Both tional levels. It is "hoped that The RTMF will be preceded by the 1991 Forum Fisheries Com­ more detailed discussion of the a meeting of the Pacific Island HRD survey report during the mittee Technical Meeting and 1 Marine Resources Information RTMF 23 requested proposals workshop will assist both System (PIMRIS) Steering v countries and SPC to establish for improved fisheries training : Committee on 30 and 31 July. co-ordination and the intro­ priorities for me bairimg'sector PIMRIS is an agency project and develop appropriate ac- duction of a Fisheries Certificate ! : involving the South Pacific Programme. The SPC Fisheries tivities.' ' ' ''"''•' [''-'[ ' Commission (SPC), the Forum Training Project has been ex­ Fisheries Agency (FFA), the amining possible mechanisms The workshop will also include University of the South for improved co-ordination artd'; presentations • dri the Fisheries Pacific (USP) arid theSouthPa­ will be reporting on the results.; Traihifig Directory1 and Data­ cific Applied Gedscience A range of options for the base, the ASEAN/PINS Work­ Commission (SOPAC) which implementation of a Fisheries shop on Training and Educa­ aims to provide a variety of in­ Certificate Programme has tion and the USP Marine Stud­ formation services to the been considered and debated ies Programme. A further item region's marine resource over the past year and will be for discussion is assessment of workers.

Draft agenda — 24th SPC Regional Technical Meeting on Fisheries

3 August Opening formalities

General introduction — SPC Fisheries Programme

Review of Western Pacific tuna fisheries and by-catch issues in the fishery

4 August Tuna and Biltfish Assessment Programme review

Tuna Research Project In-country tagging projects Albacore Research Project Fisheries Statistics Project Meeting reports South Pacific Albacore Research Group

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 SPC ACTIVITIES

Western Pacific Yellowfin Research Group in fisheries studies Western Pacific Fisheries Consultative Committee RTTP Technical Aspects and Preliminary Results

5 August Coastal Fisheries Programme Overview

Deep Sea Fisheries Development Project Regional Fisheries Training Project Fisheries Information Project Quarantine protocols and introduced species Fish Handling and Processing Project Purse Seine Project/Offshore Fisheries Development Project Collaboration in Pacific pearl oyster resource development Design and interpretation of fisheries statistical programmes Bait FADs and fishing techniques

6 August Workshop on Fisheries Training for the Pa cific Is hinds

7 August Role and future of RTMF Reports by other organisations Other business/spillover Adoption of Report. ^ lO> ^0>

I REGIONAL FISHERIES TRAINING PROJECT (RFTP) ASEAN/FINs Workshop on Fisheries Education and Training On 12and 13 April SPC hosted training and education. The Coordinator of the Pacific Eco­ a Western Pacific Fisheries Manila conference concluded nomic Co-operation Council Consultative Committee-co­ that the major barrier to be (PECO Fisheries Task Force, ordinated workshop designed overcome was a manifest lack Mr Atanraoi Baiteke, SPC Sec­ to increase co-operation and co- of knowledge in the Pacific re­ retary-General, and Ambassa­ ordination between the Asso­ gion of ASEAN fisheries insti­ dor Jacques Le Blanc, repre­ ciation of South-East Asian tutions and vice-versa. senting the Government of Nations (ASEAN) and the Pa­ France. The opening addresses cific region in fisheries educa­ The workshop was seen as an commended the range of insti­ tion and training. opportunity to familiarise rep­ tutions represented and charg­ resentatives of each region with ed the workshop with devising The workshop arose from rec­ institutional capacities and ex­ an action plan in the areas iden­ ommendations of the ASEAN amine means of promoting tified as appropriate for greater Pacific Island Nations Interna­ closer working relations be­ inter-regional co-operation. tional Fisheries Conference tween the regions. (Manila/1987), which suggested Thanks to the efforts of Chair­ that there should be greater Opening addresses were pre­ person Dr Chua Thia-Eng of the inter-regional co-operation in sented by Dr Gordon Munro, International Center for Living Q SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 SPC ACTIVfTIES

Aquatic Resource Manage­ Ways of improving information Coincide with the Asian Fisher­ ment, presentations and dis­ exchange between the regions ies Congress and WPFCC/ cussions at the meeting were were discussed. It was agreed Trars-Paeinc Fisheries Consul­ both informative and construc­ that training directories and tative Committee Plenary Ses­ tive. It was generally agreed newsletters should be more sions in October 1992. The tour that despite the enormous dif­ widely distributed. High pri­ will give Pacific representatives ferences in cultural heritage and ority was given to the comple­ a better knowledge of specific demography, there is advan­ tion of SPC's long awaited activities that could be under­ tage to both regions in encour­ Training Directory. A sugges­ taken with national and re­ aging closer ties in education tion from SPC that a Training gional training institutions in and training. and Education Special Interest ASEAN countries. Group (SIG) should be estab­ The ASEAN region has a total lished was welcomed by Pacific The workshop was jointly of 207 training institutions in the delegates, subject to endorse­ funded by the Canadian Inter­ fisheries sector and the diversity ment from RTMF. national Development Agency of study or training opportuni­ and the Government of France. ties is substantial. A report on a 1990 study, tour It.saw the presentation of 11 by Pacific Island representatives papers on various aspects of Professor Robin South of USP'S to post-harvest institutions in training arid educational ca­ Marine Studies Programme Latin America noted the sig­ pacities to 36 delegates from noted that, in view of the con­ nificant benefits that resulted. A the Federated States of Micro­ straints of offering specialised similar study tour of ASEAN nesia, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia, training for small numbers of countries, to develop closer co­ New Caledonia, Patau, Papua students in the South Pacific, operation with ASEAN train­ New Guinea, the Philippines, ASEAN opportunities for such ing institutions, was suggested. Singapore, Solomons, Thailand study should be encouraged The suggestion was endorsed and Vanuatu. and expanded. The possibility by Dr Munro, who, as chairman of initiating training interaction of PECC, played a large part in Regional organisations were between the regions through the organisation and funding of also represented and observers the establishment of a TCDC the Latin American study tour. attended from Latin America (Technical Co-operation be­ and the Australian Maritime tween Developing Countries) There was general agreement College. Programme was noted as a po­ that, subject to wider discussion tential response to needs for with regional fisheries bodies, (Contributor H.Walton) >*>. specialist fisheries training. the study tour be undertaken to Extension training to be evaluated The Regional FisheriesTraining The major objective has been to The people who should ulti­ Project has been involved in the enhance the capacity of fisher­ mately benefit from extension development and implementa­ ies extension officers to operate training are the fishermen,th e tion of fisheries extension effectively in the many and end-users of a fisheries exten­ training since 1988 when the various tasks they are called sion officer's services. It is obvi­ first Train the trainers1 work­ upon to undertake in the line of ously almost impossible to ask shop was held.This enabled 16 duty. fishermen region-wide about participants to run a series of in- the details of their relationships country workshops and pro­ The last activites under the with the local extension officer duce a comprehensive exten­ ICOD-funded programme will or to find out whether their sion manual. soon be completed. It is there­ particular fishing activities have fore an appropriate time to been supported by the officer's Since that time the RFTP has evaluate programmes and at­ services. However, it is possible been almost constantly in­ tempt to ascertain .on-going re­ to survey those who have at­ volved in in-country and re­ quirements for extension train­ tended extension training gional extension training ing support, at both regional programmes, in an attempt to programmes, funded by the and national levels. find out how effective the International Centre for Over­ training has been and what seas Development (ICOD). more can be done to service

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 SPC ACTIVITIES extension needs adequately at The RFTP has prepared sepa­ paring a report to countries by regional and national levels. It rate survey forms for senior year's end. Readers receiving is also important to ascertain fisheries officers, regional questionnaires are encouraged potential refinements to the ex­ workshop participants, and to complete the forms and re­ tension training process and national workshop participants. turn them to SPC as soon as identify needs in countries These will be circulated during possible. which have yet to participate in the next two months, with the an extension training pro­ aim of receiving completed (Contributor: KWalton) gramme. forms, collating data, and pre­ *> I INSHORE FISHERIES RESEARCH PROJECT Well known scientist comes to SPC from Fiji Tim Adams joined SPC in April The Fiji fisheries sector en­ gramme. It is complemented 1992 to take up the post of Se­ countered several notable by the regional experience he nior Inshore Fisheries Scientist events during Tim's tenure, in­ gained from attending numer­ (SIFS) formerly occupied by cluding a beche-de-mer boom, ous fisheries meetings on behalf Garry Preston who is now the the establishment of a domestic of Fiji. Tim was the chairman of Coastal Fisheries Programme longline/dropline fleet, rapid the South Pacific Albacore Re­ Manager. Tim is well known on developments in traditional search Group from 1990 to 1992, the South Pacific fisheries scene, reef-tenure systems, and a shift has been spokesman for the having spent the last nine years in government policy from an South Pacific Nations in both in Fiji, latterly acting as the Di­ import-substitution to an ex­ U.S. multilateral treaty and al­ rector of the Fiji Fisheries Divi­ port-oriented economy. bacore management meetings, sion. As SIFS, he looks forward and in 1991 chaired the SPC to resuming work at the Tim's experience in directly Standing Committee on Tuna pointed end (this allusion is handling national fisheries and Billfish as well as the obscure, but may possibly refer management crises and seeing RTMF. to the fact that Garry Preston SPC services from the user-end will be standing behind him will be of considerable benefit (Contributor: IFRP staff) with a loaded speargun) and to the Coastal Fisheries Pro­ *> also anticipates shedding a few kilogrammes through a de­ manding fieldwork schedule.

After leaving the University of the South Pacific, where he was a visiting researcher on geneti- cal speciation mechanisms, Tim joined the Fiji Fisheries Division to run the Fiji module of the Australian Centre for Interna­ tional Agricultural Research (ACIAR) International Giant Clam Project, under the dy­ namic leadership of Tony Lewis. Carefully emulating his guru only during working hours, Tim survived to take charge of the Fisheries Divi­ sion's Resource Assessment and Development Section, covering a host of different tasks ranging from freshwater aquaculture development to deep water snapper manage­ ment

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 SPG ACTIVITIES

Fourth International Conference on ciguatera fish poisoning in Tahiti

Researchers studying ciguatera some prelirriinary results.1 Par­ Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, presented the latest research ticipants were also giveri a New Caledonia and Solomon developments arid' exchanged chance to see the new commer­ Islands. Parddp^lntsalsbcame information at the Fourth in^ cially produced eiguatect kits from Australia, France^ Ger­ tematipnal Ciguatera Confer­ produced by Hawaii Ghemtect many; Japan,Mayotte, Marti­ ence iri Papeete from 4 ID7 May; Mtematibnal. These are based nique, Puerto Ricb; R^urrioh Inshore Fisheries Scientist Paul oh mernonoclbiial antibody test and the United States. ; Dalzell represented SPC. devised by Dr Y. Hpkama of the Hawaii i University] Medical Topics ranged from general School. Project. suppprted the atten­ country statements about dance of Edwifi Oreihaka ciguatera and the ecology of the Two forms of test kitwere dem­ from the Solomon Islands dihoflageliate, Gampierdi^cusi onstrated Itb the meeting: a small Fisheries DivisiPri and Ahser ; tp^ctts/7'tq.J^^ul^ 6f^g1^5( ciispl&sable kit containing a single Bdwards from the Commu­ specialised physiological re-' testi and alargei" mbre elaborate nity College bf.Micronesiai in search on the meicnanism by kit containing eqiupmentahd re- the Federated States of which dgjiatbxins affect nerve agents for multiple testing. The Micronesia. and muscle cells. single test comes in card form, cbri tains all the re-agents, and' is The conference proceedings, Paul Dalzell and Richard Lewis designed, to be used to test one containing the, papers pre­ of the Queensland peparcmeht fish. The larger kit which can be sented at the meeting, will be of Primary Industry jointly used for up to 50 tests, is de­ published later this year. The chaired the session on the socio­ signed for multiple testing on venue for the next conference economic impact of ciguatera. one fish or testing several fish. has yet to be decided. How­ Paul presented summaries of ever, Dr Lewis is organising a data oh fish landings in the Pa­ About lOO persons attended the ciguatera management work­ cific Islands and incidence of meeting. The pacific Islands shop to be held in Queensland, ciguatera. He also introduced were well represented, with Australia, iri May 1993. the hew SPC Fisheries Pro­ people attending from the Cook gramme/Health Programme Islands, the Federated States of (Contributor: P. Dalzell) Ciguatera Database and gave Micronesia, Fiji, French y> Inshore Fisheries Research Project activities

In May, Inshore Fisheries Sci­ mercial sessile invertebrates in Before returning to Noumea, entist Paul Dalzell visited two Manus and West New Britain Paul spent time in Port Department of Fisheries and Provinces, Moresby, looking at reports Marine Resources (DFMR) produced by Augusta laboratories in Papua New He also advised Mr Lokani on Mobiha of the fisheries labo­ Guinea to continue IFRP sup­ the production of annual reports ratory in Daru. The reports will port for production of fisheries for the years 1985 to, 1991. No be completed during a further technical reports. annual report of the activities pf visit by Paul to PNG later this the Research and Surveys year or. early next year. Paul went initially to Wewak, Branch of DFMR has been pro­ where he assisted Walai LTJaiwi duced since 1984 and scientific (Contributor: P> Dalzell) to prepare reports on a fisheries staff are keen to see this publica­ *> resource assessment of Sissano tion revived. Lagoon in the West Sepik Province and a report on the abundance and biology of the common carp in the Sepik River. Paul then went to Kavieng to assist Paul Lokani with the completion of two re­ source survey reports on com­

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 SPC ACTIVITIES

I DEEP SEA FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT PROJECT Another look at payaos It has long been acknowledged company which actively fishes 4 in (10 cm) diameter, to serve that the widespread adoption of in the western tropical Pacific as cross-members, and eight fish aggregation devices (FADs) and which recently deployed 16 ft(4. 8 m) sections of approx. in the Pacific Islands owes payaos, under contract to a do­ 3 in (7,5 cm) diameter make up much to the traditional use of mestic fishing company, in FSM the body of the raft platform. anchored rafts by both artisanal waters. Cost of material for this The longitudinal sections are and commercial fishing fleets in type of payao is reported to be bolted to the cross-members parts of South-East Asia, par­ about US$1800 for a 2500- with mild steel machine bolts. ticularly the Philippines and 3000 m site. Average life-span It is thought that the large raft Indonesia. of 18 months is claimed, with area is an important factor in some units surviving as long as making a payao effective be­ Early Pacific Island FAD pro­ five years. The figure on page 9 cause of the large shade sil­ grammes were largely mod­ shows the arrangement of the houette it creates. elled on the Filipino style of components listed below. anchored rafts, known as Habong line payaos. However, extensive ad­ Components aptation and technological im­ The habong line consists of a 30- provement have made the rafts Primary float 40 m strip cut in a continuous and moorings for most Pacific length from a large truck tyre, Island FADs a good deal more This consists ofan8ftx3ftx with a weight at the lower end sophisticated than their original 2 ft (2.4m x 0.9 mx 0.6 m) pon­ (10 kg of concrete poured in a Asian models. Inevitably, they toon of 3/16 in (5 mm) steel paint can with tyre strip em­ are also a good deal more plate, with two steel rings bedded for attachment) and costly. welded in place at either end. nipa palm leaves tied on every Bamboo cross-members for the metre. The habong is merely In recent times some Island raft platform are passed knotted to the tyre attachment countries have expressed in­ through these rings. Single half- point on the raft and thus eas­ terest in looking again at the rings at one end and the bottom ily detached during seining original payao model for spe­ serve as attachment points for operations. Nipa palm is pre­ cific purposes, particularly the the habong (appendage line) and ferred for its durability over well-developed, use of payaos mooring respectively. These coconut palm frond. for tuna purse-seining. half-rings have 2 inch-wide sections cut from the wall of Upper mooring While Filipino fishing interests steel-belted car tyres fitted be­ have deployed, and actively fore they are welded to the A 3/4 in (19 mm) wire rope ex^ fish, hundreds of payaos set in pontoon. The tyre sections tends from the raft down to waters around Papua New serve as springs for the habong 30 m; the wire rope discarded Guinea, domestic payao purse- (1 tyre strip) and mooring (3 from the seiners is commonly seining operations have also tyre strips). The pontoon is fin­ used. All attachments are been developed or attempted in ished with marine-grade steel formed by Flemish eyes held in Fiji, Nauru, Solomon Islands primer paint. The rectangular place with three or four cable and, most recently, in the Fed­ shape is chosen mainly because clamps. As a back-up, a loose erated States of Micronesia it is easy (and therefore not safety line of doubled polypro­ (FSM). In response to requests expensive) to build. It also pro­ pylene rope is run from the from several member countries vides for secure and space-effi­ main raft mooring point to the for up-to-date information on cient loading on board the de­ upper eye of the main mooring the technology and use of ployment vessel. line. payaos the Project recently made contact with Filipino fishing Raft Main mooring interests. A raft of bamboo is rigged This is of 16 mm, 3-strand poly­ We describe below the payao around the primary float Two propylene, manufactured in the model currently employed by a sizes of bamboo are used: three Philippines and costing only Filipino tuna purse-seining 8 ft (2.4 m) sections of approx. US$ 0.28/m. All connecting

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 secAcnvriiES points are formed by making Deployment strategies .. most of thisloadw It always1 eyes with a simple tuck-splice leaves port with a large stock of — the braid is opened and the The fishing company's concept all payao materials on hoard, rope-end passed through five of tuna movement and payao particularly bamboo and palm times, in reverse direction oh association has it that the fish leaves. ' each pass. The splice is then migrate along 'highways'. It is secured by forcing a length Of thought that by detecting these Inspection and tnkiniehance vinyl pipe of the same internal tracks (through fishing expert diameter over the splice (hot ehce) and laying lines of payaos It is believed that inspection and wa ter may be used to soften the across them (with spacing of up maintenarice are the key to a vinyl). The eyes are formed to 50 mini) fishermen can divert successful and cos t-effee tive over Oversize galvanised wire fish from their natural track payao system: A strict mainte­ rope thimbles, but with' a and cause them to aggregate nance schedule is adhered to in double thickness of vinyl pipe around payao concentrations at active fishing zones, as well, of covering the rope where it con­ one end of the line: At the same course, as incidental mainte­ tacts the- thimble. In addition, time, the lines of payaosprovide nance. This maintenance is al­ the whole thimble assembly is the company's1 seiners with po­ most exclusively applied to the secured by whipping with tentially productive setting- top 200 m of the"niooring braided twine. points along the course of their (moorings are occasionally tracks to various payao grounds: lifted for redeployment and the Counterweight company saya that it has never Other deployment patterns are noted any problems with the Because the main mooring is more speculative. Yet others are ground tackle). composed only of polypro­ largely determined by the ac­ pylene rope, a counterweight is cess or target zones, such as the The polypropylene fopeUsed is required to sink the floating concentric circles laid around believed to deteriorate under polypropylene line away from two islands in FSM (1st circle set the effect of ultra-violet light, the surface. This is fabricated by at 12 nmi from island, 2nd circle even at depths to 200 m. Such the fishing company and con­ 2 nmi further but with payaos deterioration is exhibited as sists of a cylinder of concrete 5 nmi apart). In areas where stiffening and brittleness. The poured around a central mild payaos are newly set it is com­ top 100 m of rope are therefore s teel shaft. Each end Of this shaft mon practice to 'seed' the rafts routinely replaced after 4r- ends in an eye, one of which with sacks of chum slung un­ 5 months as a matter of course. incorporates a simple swivel derneath. This is believed to After a similar period of time, device. Total weight varies speed up the aggregation pro­ the top 200 m are replaced. from 30 to 50 kg. The point at cess. Thereafter, shorter sections will which the counterweight is in1 be replaced as required in the corporated into the mooring Final selection of deployment light of inspection during fish­ line depends on the site depth. sites and calculation of mooring ing. Calculation of this point is scopes is controlled by the based on the principle that the company's fleet operations The upper steel cable also de­ main mooring line never comes controller, who passes instruc­ teriorates rapidly through cor­ closer to the surface than 100 m. tions to the skipper of the ves-; rosion and is replaced as indi­ sel deploying tiye payaos. In the cated by inspection during Lower mooring same way, the status of each fishing. Waterlogged or broken: payao iS updated on a master bamboo is also replaced, while Anchors, are made of 20Q1 oil plotting board as skippers re^ the nipa palm1 oh the habong drums filled with concrete with port' m during fishing and lines is replaced most regularly a car tyre embedded. The maintenance. of all, its presence being con­ number of anchors varies, de­ sidered critical to the payao's pending on site depth, but three Redeployments to plug gaps in effectiveness. is average. The anchors are the payao system are then di­ connected together with a loop rected by the fleet operations (Contributor: P. Cusack)^/3^ of 19 mm steel wire rope. This controller. Both the fishing fleet is connected to the lower main and a carrier vessel conduct mooririg in the same way as the maintenance and deployments, upper connection. though the carrier ve$sel carries

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 SPC ACTIVITIES

Payao model currently employed in the Philippines. The photo shows all rope-to-wire connections formed with Flemish eyes and eye-splices over steel thimbles.

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 SPG ACTIVITIES

• FISH HANDLING AND PROCESSING PROJECT Workshop helps improve fish handling and marketing

In many countries in the Pacific munications skills/and, an in- from the International Food region fish landed by local • country follow-up stage. Institute of Queensland; Miguel fishermen or offered on sale on Gallo from Instituto Tecnolo- the domestic market is often in The regional workshop was gico Pesquero (Institute of relatively poor condition. This conducted in Suva at the Uni­ Fisheries Technology), Lima, is because fish is inappropri­ versity of the South Pacific be­ Peru; and Steve Roberts, SPC's ately chilled or not chilled at all. tween 16 March and 24 April. Post-harvest Fisheries Adviser, The results are that: It was divided into two key who was also the workshop co­ elements: a technical compo­ ordinator. —domestic sales of fish may be nent lasting four weeks, fol­ slow and prices low; lowed by a two-week extension The extension and communi­ and communications phase. cations workshop included —fish may spoil before it is sold principles of adult education; and therefore be wasted; Technical topics included problem-solving and decision­ proper handling and storage of making; programme planning; — good quality fish may not be chilled and frozen fish for the working with groups; two-way available for the domestic domestic and export markets communications; etc. The par­ market which may then (with sashimi tuna and deep ticipants also designed a set of have to import fish; water species as standards); six posters and wrote up in- seafood packaging; causes of country course notes on six — export opportunities for fish spoilage; quality control; broad topics suitable for high-quality products, and buildings, distribution, equip­ workshops in their own coun­ therefore the chance to earn ment and materials require­ tries. Such courses included foreign currencies and create ments; seafood microbiology; one- or two-day workshops for local employment, may be hygiene and sanitation. fishermen and market staff, lost; and with longer courses of two to Tutors responsible for teaching three days for processors and —consumers may be poisoned the technical part of the work­ exporters. by fish such as the tunas if shop were. Haniff Madakia these have been handled from the Marine Institute in Olga Gladkikh from the Coady and stored improperly. Newfoundland, Canada; Bruce International Institute, Nova Goodrick and David Milne Scotia, Canada, supervised the An ambitious training project to improve the overall quality of fish landed in and exported from the region has been launched jointly by SPC's Fish Handling and Processing Project and Regional Fisheries Training Project.

The project is designed to pro­ vide training in the fundamen­ tal problems of handling and exporting fish for people who, in turn, will be able to train and advise fishermen, processors, retailers and exporters in their own countries.

The project has two stages: a regional workshop to provide Haniff Madakia, from the Marine Institute, Canada, demonstrating technical and extension/com­ quality attributes of tuna to a group of participants

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 SPC ACTIVITIES extension and communicatidns The participants also drew up participant to take the major course, with the assistance of action plans of their proposed organisational and teaching Mel Ware from the National activities on their return home. role. Fisheries College, Papua New Stage Two of the project, which Guinea, and Silika Ngahe, will take place over the next six It is hoped that following Stage Ministry of Fisheries, Tonga. to nine months, will be based on Two visits the participants will these action plans and will in­ be able to run other workshops Sixteen participants (from volve a visit by a tutor from the with confidence and provide American Samoa, Cook Islands, original regional workshop to good technical advice to the Federated States of Micronesia, the partidpants' country to co­ post-harvest fisheries sector. Fiji, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall incide with their first training Islands, Nauru, Northern activity. The overall project is funded by Mariana Islands, Papua New the Canadian Government Guinea, Solomon Islands, The tutor's role during this visit through ICOD. Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu) will predominantly be advi­ completed the workshop. sory, leaving the workshop (Contributor: S. Roberts) y^

• FISHERIES INFORMATION PROJECT Fiji Fisheries Information Officer attached to SPC's Information Project

Hamidan Bibi, a Senior Fisher­ on desktop publishing equip­ At the Fiji Fisheries Division, ies Assistant (Information) from ment. Miss Bibi is involved with the the Fiji Fisheries Division, is production of all publications currently attached to the South The task will involve research, including Qitawa, the Divi­ Pacific Commission's Fisheries writing, editing and technical sion's bi-monthly newsletter^, Information Project. aspects of production and dis­ and the Annual Report. She is tribution. also responsible for producing The attachment, which is for weekly press releases and radio seven weeks beginning on 18 Miss Bibi will also be working programmes related to the May, will enable Miss Bibi to with the SPC Librarian, gather­ fishing industry. Miss Bibi gain experience of producing ing information through vari­ joined the Division in July 1987. publications, such as newslet­ ous 'search for materials' com­ ters and information bulletins puter programmes. (Contributor J.P. Gaudechoux) r

ill Senior Fisheries Assistant (Information) Hamidan Bibi and SPC Fisheries Information Officer Jean-Paul Gaudedioux working on the design of the SPC Fisheries Newsletter

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 SPG; ACTIVITIES.

TUNA AND BILLFISH ASSESSMENT PROGRAMME (TBAP) Philippines Tuna Research Project (PTRP) Over the next two years, TBAP sized tuna (30-70 cm), There is anchovies. Twelve 1,000 watt will be acting as a part-time also a possibility of chartering surface lights areused to attract consultant to the Philippines small pole vessels from Indon the bait, three each on bow and Government, lending its tuna nesia if the need arises. stern, and three along each side taggingand analytical expertise of the bahca. Usually the first set to • assess the yellowfin and Bait supplies is made around 2200, hours, skipjack stocks in Philippine followed by sets at 02Q0 and waters under the auspices of the Preliminary work began with a 0400* Near the full moon, only Philippines Tuna Research month-long visit to the Philip­ thelast two hauls are made and Project. This project is paftof the pines by: TBAP Fisheries Sci­ catches are substantially re­ Asian Development Bank- entist Kevin Bailey this April, duced from the nightly average funded Philippines Fisheries, During an extensive tour of the of 2 mt. Sector Programme. country, Kevin and counterpart Noel Barut of the Bureau of Before the basnig net is de­ In the first instance, TBAP plans Fisheries and Aquatic Re­ ployed, all lights except one on to use the Tuvaluan pole-and- sources (BEAR) visited and as­ the stern are extinguished. The line vessel Te Tautai from July to sessed various bait-grounds basnig, shaped like a box October to tag in the Sulu Sea and baitfishing methods that without a.top, is then set and and Moro Gulf, which are are likely to provide sufficient positioned with guide-ropes heavily exploited areas, and in! quantities of good-quality live attached to its corners and sides. the Philippine Sea, which is bait for the TeTautai operation. Once in position, the basnig lies only lightly exploited. 10-35 m above the sea floor,' Previous visits of the vessel to depending on the overall depth. The Te Tautai has been an ex­ the Philippines highlighted the All lights are then turned on cellent platform for the SPCs difficulty of catching bait, pri­ and left, for 15 minutes, before Regional Tuna Tagging Project marily because of intense being extiriguished slowly from (RTTP), With 107,012 tuna competition. This, problem will bow and stern. A single tagged and released from the hopefully be circumvented by; dimmed light on starboard vessel to date, including over purchasing bait directly from midships'is left on. 6,000 in Philippine waters. The the people most experienced in target for the PTRP is 25,000 fishing in local conditions. The net is then hauled, initially releases (10,000 each in the Sulu with the guide-ropes set Sea and Moro Gulf areas and Six bait-grounds and three through pulleys at the end of 5,000 in the Philippine Sea). baitfishing methods were as­ bamboo booms, and then by While most tagging will be sessed, including Burias Pass, hand-stacking on the port side done from the Te Tautai, some Ragay Gulf, Mercedes and of the boat. The starboard edge will also be undertaken from Lamon Bay, all of which are of the net is raised to prevent local fishing vessels such as situated in south-east Luzon bait from escaping. Towards ringnet boats (small purse and employ basnigs (bagnets) the end of retrieval, stacking seiners) and handline bancas launched from bancas; the Sulu changes to the starboard side by (15-20 m double outrigger ca­ Archipelago to the south-west passing ropes and net under the noes). of Mindanao using basnigs; and boat, so that the bait is concen­ the north-west coast of Negros trated in a long section of net Three fishing methods will be where beach seines and fish The bait is then crowded to the used to tag a representative traps (corrals) are used. bow, in a similar fashion to the size-range of fish captured in stick-held bouki ami net used the various components of the Three basnig boats were visited on the Te Tautai. The bait ob­ Philippines tuna fishery. in Burias Pass and two nethauls served at the crowding stage Ringnets usually catch small observed. The boats are an­ was in excellent condition, with yellowfin and skipjack (15- chored in 35-70 m (20-40 fath­ little scale loss, making this the 30 cm in length), bancas take oms) over sand or mud bot­ obvious point to obtain the live large yellowfin (over 100 cm) toms, although mud is pre­ bait required for the project and pole vessels catch medium- ferred for the favoured catch of

SBC Fisheries Newsletter #61 SPC ACTIVITIES

As it will not be possible to po­ personnel will be stationed on angular in shape and is lo wered sition the TeJTautai close enough the vessel during baiting visits. into the chamber with guide- to the basnig for direct transfer ropes. Once the net has settled, to the bait wells, floating pens Fish traps and beach seining it is dragged forward and or transporters will have to be were assessed during a stop­ bunched, so that the bait are employed, with transfer firstly over on the island of Negros. concentrated for dipnetting. to the pens, followed by a pe­ Fish traps are common along riod of hardening to give the the coast between Bacolod and For tagging purposes, the bait bait time to recover from the the small town of E.B. will have to be transferred at trauma of capture, and then the Magalona, to the north. Two this point, and the only practi­ final transfer to the pole boat In hauls were observed at a me­ cal way is by bucket up and this way, it is anticipated that dium-sized fish trap at Bacolod over the 3-4 m high walls and the bait will be able to survive early one morning, for a total into a transporter. The entrance for up to five days. catch of 20 kg of leiognathids, into the main chamber is too although this was an unusually narrow to allow the passage of A large basnig fleet based in low catch for the season. Traps the transporter, but a small in­ Zamboanga fishes in the Sulu are constructed of bamboo flatable dinghy can probably be Archipelago throughout the poles and fine mesh net, and manhandled over the wall and year, catching sardines consist of three chambers for into the chamber for a working {Sardinella fimbriata and holding the fish, a long bamboo platform, albeit with some dif­ Amblygaster sirm) and round fence called the tail that acts to ficulty. scad (Decapturus macarellus direct the fishint o the chambers primarily). Most of this fishing on the receding tide, and a Beach seining from large bancas takes place in the north-western shorter fence (wing) also to di­ occurs along the coast between part of the archipelago, between rect fish. the towns of Himamaylan and the large islands of Basilan and Tabao, to the south of Bacolod. Jolo. Typically, three or four The traps are situated 1-2 km The nets are 210 m long and 7- boats operate as a group in from the shore, often within 9 m deep (120 fm x 4-5 fm), and depths of 27- 70 m, making this 500 m of each other. Fish enter take about 30 rninutes to set and an ideal situation for the Te the first chamber of the trap and haul. Sets are made throughout Tautai to purchase bait and also move successively into the sec­ the morning from 0500-1000 to use her own baiting gear. ond and third chambers, whose and in the late afternoon from entrances reduce in width 1500-1800, usually in a depth of Because of the activity of Mus­ from about 2mto 0.5 m. Sur­ 4 m. The catch is dominated by lim 'rebels' and 'pirates' around rounding the third chamber is anchovies (Stolephorus hetero- Basilan and the more southern a 6-7 m high bamboo platform lobus) and sardines (Sardinella islands in the archipelago, it is from which the net is deployed fimbriata and Amblygaster spp.). likely that one or two military and hauled. It is roughly rect- While it was not possible to observe a set during the visit because of a two-day long fi­ esta, discussions with seine operators verified that the bait is in relatively good condition and will certainly be easier to transfer than from the traps further up the coast.

It appears from these visits that a number of areas in the Philip­ pines will be able to provide the Te Tautai with good-quality live bait for tagging operations in the July-October period. Bas- I nigs in Ragay Gulf and the Mercedes-Lamon Bay area will be able to support activities in the Philippine Sea in August, A typical Philippine basnig banca in Kagay Gulf

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 SPC ACTIVITIES

118°E 120?E 122°E 124°E 126°E 'l .-• • . i •..-.'.• J T~TT * *9 South China - a Sea i 18°N-

Luzon A

16°N - •* V •'• \ Laitian Bay

"N | V " . Ragay Gulf

14°N It] nas Pass

Philippine 12°N Sea

10°N

08°N

06°N

The Republic of Philippines, showing locations visited and tag releases. The largest circle represents 100 releases and the smallest circle one release. while basnigs in the Sulu Ar­ and assessed by BFAR staff. The out on ringnet and handline chipelago and large fish traps co-operation and interest expe­ vessels. Experimental tagging and beach seining operations in rienced during the trip also of ringnet-caught tuna in the north-western Negros will be mean that bait can probably be Moro Gulf was carried out from utilised during Sulu Sea and obtained on an ad hoc basis a small wooden dinghy posi­ Moro Gulf activities. outside these areas. tioned between the net boat and carrier boat and close to the Basnigs in the Bisuanga area of Experimental togging catch, in order to reduce the northern Palawan will prob­ time that the fish were out of the ably also be available for Sulu During this visit, pilot tagging water and therefore improve Sea work once the area is visited experiments were also carried their chances of survival. The

SPG Fisheries Newsletter #61 SPC AcrivrriES ringnet fishery is characterised Whether further tagging is un­ payaos selected for net setting. by pre-dawn sets on payaos dertaken, however, will depend Crew on the bancas take ad­ (anchored Fish Aggregation on the recovery rate of the vantage of this attraction and Devices), and exhibits a number present experiment. A BFAR handline throughout the night of classic symptoms of over­ ringnet tagging project in the for medium- and large-sized fishing, including catch rates late 1980s resulted in a particu­ yellowfin. An average night that have only been maintained larly low recovery rate, two per typically yields one or two large by towing more and more cent from over 10,000 releases, yellowfin or 10-20 of medium payaos together for each set and presumably because of the poor size, while an exceptional night a steady decrease in the average condition of many of the re­ might produce three or four size of fish caught. At present, leases. The present experiment large fish. four or five payaos are towed has built on and improved that together during the day for the early work, and it is hoped that During the present visit, catches following morning's set and the by tagging close to the water the were extremely poor, resulting tuna caught typically measure recovery rate will be substan­ in the ringnet fleet standing between 20 and 30 cm in length. tially higher. down for a week, and only four small yellowfin being tagged A total of 156 tuna (44 yellow- A second tagging experiment and released. In the future, it fin, 103 skipjack, 9 bigeye) was targeting large handline-caught maybe possible to combine the tagged and released during two yellowfin in the South China ringnet and handline experi­ ringnet sets. Four people took Sea was not as successful be­ ments, as the vessels often op­ part in the tagging operation: cause of limited time and poor erate together, thereby maxi­ one tagging in the stem of the catches experienced in the mising the numbers of releases dinghy, with a modified SPC fishery. One night and morning while keeping time to a mini­ tagging cradle sitting across were spent on a 20 m banca mum. stern and starboard gunwales, handlining around payaos off one person in the carrier to pass the north-west coast of Luzon. Further TBAP involvement tags to the tagger, one crew- Bancas in this area normally with the Philippines Tuna Re­ member on the carrier to scoop operate as lightboats for a search Project will be featured fish out of the sac with a long- ringnet fleet based in the port of in future editions of the SPC handled dip net and a second Masinloc, using 1,000 watt sur­ Fisheries Nervsletter. crew-member in the dinghy to face lights to attract tuna to the sort the catch in the scoop and (Contributor: Kevin Bailey) pass tuna to the cradle. On the second day, the sea roughened and an extra person was sta­ tioned in the dinghy to hold it in place against the net.

It is estimated that 200-300 re­ leases per set are possible over a period of 30-45 minutes with some modifications to meth­ odology (e.g. by using an in­ flatable dinghy, which is a more stable working platform than the wooden dinghy, and has the added advantage of flex­ ibility when bouncing against the carrier boat; and tagging yellowfin and bigeye only in the first 10-15 minutes of the op­ eration, when they are still in good condition). If other net boats are nearby, it may also be possible to tag from more than A basnig net in position (taken from de Jesus, A.S. (1982). Tuna one set per day and bring the fishing gears of the Philippines. Indo-Pacif ic Tuna Development and daily total to 400-900 releases. Management Programme, Colombo)

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 SPC ACTIVITIES

'a

A catch of small skipjack and yellowfin is brailed from ringnet sac to carrier boat in the Moro Gulf. Scoop nets were used to remove tuna from the sac for tagging in a dinghy positioned between the net and carrier boats.

A handline-caught yellowfin is unloaded from a banca at Lion Beach, General Santos City, prior to being processed for shipment to Japan.

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 SPC ACTIVITIES

Philippine researcher attached to RTTF

Miss Herida M. Arce of the Bu­ According to Miss Arce, the Tuna forms the bulk of the reau of Fisheries and Aquatic information derived from the fishery production, both com­ Resources in the Philippines RTTP project will help im­ mercially and in municipal was attached to the SPCs Re­ mensely in the proper man- markets in the Philippines. gional Tuna Tagging Project a gement of the tuna resource in Commercial production during from 7 to 20 May. the Philippines. the year 1991 reached a total of 195,172 tonnes while the mu­ The attachment, which was Miss Arce said that the installa­ nicipal production totalled funded by the Western Pacific tion of a tuna database similar 168,713 tonnes. Fisheries Consultative Com­ to that of SPC will enable mittee/ enabled Miss Arce to analysis of a large volume of 'The government is also con­ gain hands-on training on the data and provide better co-or­ tributing largely to the industry RTTP tuna tagging database, dination between SPCs RTTP and hopes to see larger purse- reviewing and editing tag re­ project and the Philippine tuna seine vessels in operationin the turns from the Philippines. industry. near future', says Miss Arce.

(Contributor: H.Bibi) -fO* Two months successful tagging aboard Te Tautai

After a ten-day trip to the re­ The tuna were feeding franti­ brailing net into one of the mote atolls of the Phoenix Is­ cally on small baitfish, churning baitwells in the belly of the Te lands, the SPC tagging vessel Te the surface to roiling foam in Tautai until the chumming Tautai was returning to Tara­ areas that were as large as an tanks were full. The taggers wa. Canton Island had pro­ Olympic swimming pool. This checked their battery-powered vided an interesting break in type of school is called a boiler, cassette recorders and went the trip, but the lagoon had foamer or smoker by commer­ searching for gloves and spare proved unsuitable for baiting cial fishermen, as it creates an recorders. and the Te Tautai only had two area of boiling or frothing water wells of bait left. The seas were on the ocean surface. Fifty tonne schools were all as flat as a mUl-pond., the sort of around the ship now as she day that occurs on the equator Boilers and foarners are eagerly slowed and the chummers be­ when a ship's wake forms per­ sought by distant-water purse- gan tossing small scoops of fect little waves all the way to seine captains, as the frenzied milkfish along her course. Nor­ the horizon — a far cry from feeding behaviour distracts the mally, the Te Tautai uses tropi­ when we began the 1992 season tuna and makes them easier to cal anchovies, sardines and one month earlier. encircle and trap in their mile- sprats that are lift-netted at long seines. However, feeding night in bays and lagoons. The ship had sailed from Suva shoals of tuna are notoriously However, wild baitfish is scarce on 4 March only to run into a difficult for pole-and-line boats during this time of year in series of hurricanes and rough to fish successfully as the tuna Kiribati so the programme re­ westerly weather that had have an abundance of food in lied on purchasing cultured made life on board miserable the water and are usually not juvenile milkfish from Tarawa. for weeks. interested in taking chum or the This project was started some steel and feather lures. Never­ years ago to supply live bait to The only commotion now came theless, the bosun, Pauna Kiribati-based pole-and-line from Kepasi Tefau, the Pauna, brought out the tuna boats owned by the Tuvaluan fishing master of the fibreglass poles, rigged with Kiribati national fishing com­ Te Tautai, as he vigorously rang barbless striker lures of various pany, Te Mautari Ltd. the standby bell and altered sizes. Other crewmen readied course to intercept a tuna the tagging cradles and spare As was expected, the tuna were school. One glance in the 25- hooks and wet the decks and gorging themselves on dense power "big glasses' confirmed cradles in preparation for tag­ schools of ocean anchovy the presence of several big tuna ging. At the same lime, the bait (Stolepkorus punctifer) and di­ schools on the glassy horizon. men repeatedly dipped a large verted. along the vessel's path

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 SPC'ACTIVITIES only briefly to feed on the shiny A vinyl tagging mattress and tag?fish that will die or be taken milkfish. Assistant Fishing monofilament handllnes were by sharks within a few minutes Master Eroni Doladai pointed loaded in the skiff and two of release or scton die of tagging out a school that looked better taggers: and two crewmen inflicted injuries. for poling and the next chunv boarded the small, outboard- ming pass fared better. A mixed powered vessel and headed As the skiff slowed to boat an­ school of yellowfin and skipjack toward the nearest boiler. Troll other yellowfin, the sound of fell in beside the coasting 39- lines were rigged with plastic the feeding tuna was surpris­ metre ship and charged the octopus lures on barbless hooks ing, much like a waterfall or closely thrown chum and and the small boat was soon torrential rainfall on a tin roof. feathered hooks. In seconds, a inside one of the massive The activity was actually caus­ chorus of shouts and raucous schools and far from the Te ing a fine mist to rise from the yells signalled that the crew of Tautai. Skiff trolling is one way sea surface over the feeding the Te Tautai were doing what in which the project can keep tuna. This is where the name they love best, poling tuna as tagging tuna while saving smoker comes from to describe fast as they will bite. chum for later in the day when the most active type of feeding the schools may decide to bite tuna schools. The tagging cradles quickly on the regular gear. filled as the tagging assistants Meanwhile, Kepasi had begun deftly flicked the barbless hooks In the small skiff close to water to manoeuvre on the schools from tuna jaws and the taggers level, the fishermen could again and the skiff and mother- got to work. On this day, the clearly see the panic-stricken ship were soon fishing on the actual tagging was done by anchovies leaping into the air as same school. Small skipjack Fisheries Scientists David Itano the tuna sliced through their began to fly over the polers' and Joel Opnai and Fisheries ranks. Yells went up as the lines heads on the Te Tautai as the Experimental Officer Eti Palu were taken and big yellowfin school came to life and started (all of the SPC) and Iefata were coaxed to the padded to charge the lures again. Soon, Paeniu. Iefata also happens to mattress to be tagged and re­ medium-sized bigeye were be­ be the captain of the Te Tautai leased. ing poled with such regularity and leader of the 21 Tuvaluan that the two remaining taggers fishermen and professional The condition of these trolled on the ship were having a hard seamen, who have manned the fish was noted carefully, as the time keeping up with the flow ship during the SPC's Regional longer fighting time required to of fish. As Eti transferred from Tuna Tagging Project. The boat them meant that a higher the skiff back to the ship, larger number of taggers is kept to a percentage would be too and larger bigeye were taking minimum to maintain the con­ stressed or tired to be tagged in the lures and the yelling turned sistently high standard of tag good condition. It is pointless to to a raucous din. The bosun releases that is necessary during a large-scale mark and recap­ ture study.

Not unexpectedly, the milkfish did not hold the attention of the school for long, and the tuna soon broke away to join their schoolmates that were still chopping into the frantic ranks of the ocean anchovy. Two' more chumming passes on nearby schools fared worse, and the midday sun was now high and hot. The cruise leader put out the order for skiff tag­ ging, and the crew readied the six-metre Yamaha skiff for trolling and tagging. Fishing Master Kepasi Tefau and Teokila Usia searching ftir tuna schools

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 SPC ACTIVITIES hurried to trade his skipjack rig for a stout Australian bluefin pole rigged with a large # 5.5 lure. The rest of the crew quickly followed suit and big­ eye over one metre in length were soon competing for space on the tagging cradles. Other fishermen swiftly snapped into two-pole fishing rigs or switched to heavy handlines and baited hooks that had been put to good use before on big yellowfin and bigeye. The bite developed so fast that fisher­ men on the raised bow deck were now straining to lift 35 kg fish the long distance from the water. Some of the big fish be­ Filipe Viala tagging large bigeye tuna gan to rip loose from the hooks, paper and entered on computer Tarawa where another load of so the skiff was used to land databases. milkfish could be taken. and tag fish that were hooked from the bow of the Te Tautai. Meanwhile, the bigeye school The Regional Tuna Tagging had taken up residence under Project has been tagging yel­ The sight from the skiff work­ the ship, associating with the Te lowfin, bigeye and skipjack ing under the bow of the Te Tautai as tuna often associate tuna in the western tropical Tautai was impressive: fisher­ with drifting logs or FADs. This Pacific (WTP) since December men quickly reacting to was confirmed by the telltale 1989. The project has been very changes in the bite, bait boys marks on the depth sounder successful in releasing tagged running for more chum, the and the handlining of two big­ tuna in good condition over a chummers keeping the schools eye from the stern. The wide area and under some very under the sprays and the handline gear was quickly de­ trying conditions. The first taggers working at top speed as ployed but a big tuna catch was cruises of the 1992 season were their assistants landed and un­ not to be. Several oceanic white- planned to visit some of the hooked the big fish. I stood back tipped sharks moved in on the remote eastern portions of the a few times to admire the action, and it was soon impos­ study area that have proved smooth teamwork and easy sible to get a bait below them or difficult to visit during the past camaraderie that exists between a live tuna through their ranks. two years. These areas have fisherman and scientist on the become very important to dis­ Te Tautai. At dawn the next morning, the tant water purse seine, pole- first few scoops of chum and-line and longline fleets, The bite faded at dusk and the brought an instant response particularly to the U.S. purse SPC team performed biological from the hungry bigeye. The seine vessels based in Pago sampling on fish that had been anchovy schools were not to be Pago. too damaged during capture to seen, meaning that milkfish was tag, while the crew turned ea­ now the flavour of the day. March and April of 1992 saw gerly to salting down the spare Poling, handlining and tagging the Te Tautai passing briefly tuna and cleaning up. That proceeded at full speed until the through northern Fiji and the night, the ship drifted where the baitwells were empty. Chop­ Wallis and Futuna EEZs to school had gone down, while ped frozen bait or chopped tuna work in Tuvalu, Kiribati and data entry and verification was thrown to the hungry fish, Marshall Islands waters. Milk­ proceeded in the SPC forecastle but the bite ceased when the fish are very hardy and can be 'office'. Tape recorders were live bait ran out. held for weeks in standard played back and the species, baitwells with little care and length, condition and capture It was time now to work on the low mortality. The use of method of each tagged fish cruise report, repair fishing gear milkfish chum allowed the Te were carefully recorded on or just relax on the trip back to Tautai to work in areas that

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 SPG ACTIVITIES

could not have been visited was the relatively high per­ nese purse seiner, raise the toi using more delicate baitfish centage of bigeye tuna found in tal number of releases to, species. the area. Generally, surface 123,924, of which 31 per centare, bigeye schools in the WTP are yellpwfin and bigeye releases.! Long-range trips were made to uncommon and usually found Banaba, the Phoenix Islands, only in association with drifting A total of 11,511 tags has been the Howland and Baker EEZ logs or flotsam. returned to Noumea, with tag and the high seas zones to the return information entered into east of Tarawa and; Funafuti. At the conclusion of this two- the RTTP tagging database and The U.S. purse seine fleet was month cruise, the ship returned verified by Fisheries Research very active in these areas during to her home port of Funafuti for Officer yeronica Logez. This the time of the Te Tautai visit to a six-week break. During this represents an overall return rate Kiribati. The number of releases period, the crew enjoyed some of 9-3 per cent, with more,tags was not high compared to more time at home while working to coming in all the time. Recap­ productive RTTP tagging prepare the ship for the rest of tures have come from purse- cruises in Papua New Guinea the year. Fisheries Scientist Bai­ seine vessels of Federated States and the Federated States of ley and Fisheries Experimental of Micronesia, Indonesia, Japan, Micronesia, but filled some im­ Officer Viala will start the next Korea, New Zealand, Philip­ portant gaps in the tagging cniise'with tentative plans to pines, Solomon Islands, Tai­ study and may yield interesting wqrkin theEEZs of Wallis and wan, the United States and the results on the movement and; Futuna, Tuvalu, PNG, FSM, USSR. Pole-and-line - vessels exploitation of tuna within this Palau, the Philippines, Austra­ from Australia, Fiji, Indonesia, sub-region. lia and New Caledonia. Japan; Kiribati, Palau and Solomon Islands, and longline Large schools of surface-feed­ By the time the ship returned to vessels from Australia, Japan ing tuna were found around Funafuti in May 1992, the Te and the Philippines have also Banaba, the southern Gilbert Tautai had tagged and released returned tags. In addition, troll Islands and near the border of a total of 107,304 tuna com­ and handline boats from the Howland and Baker and prised of 29,551 yello wfin, 6,113 throughout the region and Phoenix; Island portion of the bigeye, 71,558. skipjack and;82 canneries and unloading ports Kiribati FEZ, Other schools longtail tuna. Additional tag­ from around the world have were found associated with ging projects related to the recovered thousands of RTTP drifting logs, a drifting steel RfTP> including specific tag­ tags, ... payao, on current lines or near ging studies for Solomon Is­ reefs and small atolls. One sur­ lands, Kiribati and Fiji and ex­ (Contributor: D.Itano) prising finding from this cruise perimental, tagging on a Japa­ O

SPC Fisheries.Ncwslettcr #61 SPC ACTIVITIES

International workshops on tunas associated with floating objects

International Workshops on the river plumes and the ecol­ — Fleet dynamics; develop­ Ecology and Fisheries for Tunas ogy of scombrid larvae; ment of models for estima­ Associated with Roaring Ob­ tion and prediction pur­ jects and on Assessment Issues — Circulation of logs, with poses; Arising from the Association of presentations on surface Tunas with Floating Objects circulation patterns in the — The effect on yield-per-re- were held in La Jolla, California, log fishing areas as inferred cruit analysis of fishing on from 11 to 14 February 1992. from drifting buoys; a floating objects; and simulation approach to The three-day Workshop on the study the drift of floating •— The effect on our under­ Ecology and Fisheries for Tunas objects; drift simulation re­ standing of the population Associated with Floating Ob­ sults for the Eastern Pacific; dynamics of tunas (espe­ jects was organised under the and recent developments in cially in relation to concepts following headings: tropical Atlantic oceanogra­ of stock structure and spatial phy in relation to floating patterns) of fishing on float­ — Regional fisheries on float­ objects; and ing objects and other modes ing objects, with presenta­ of fishing. tions on the Eastern Pacific, — Schooling and other fish the Central Pacific, the behaviour, with presenta­ Papers were provided for only Western Pacific, the Eastern tions on fisheries on floating about half of the presentations Atlantic, the Western At­ objects and schooling and, unfortunately, no record of lantic/Caribbean, and the behaviour; Sensory Inte­ discussion is available at Indian Ocean; grated System (SIS) of present. While discussions fo­ schools; radio tracking ex­ cused largely on the Eastern — Log communities, with pre­ periments; the ecology and Tropical Pacific, which, even sentations on pelagic com­ behaviour of tunas around with respect to log fishing, munities associated with payaos; behaviour inferred generally has a different situa­ floating objects, tuna avi­ from repeated sets on the tion from elsewhere, informa­ fauna, the association of same object; diel changes in tion from other ocean areas was epipelagic fauna with float­ group size with regard to also presented, such as the in­ ing objects, and associations tunas and dolphin; the creasingly successful use of between seabirds and sea question of congregation or FADs by the Spanish and turtles; aggregation with regard to French fleets in the offshore schooling behaviour and Eastern Atlantic and, more re­ — Primary production, with a floating objects; and the food cently, in the Indian Ocean. presentation on biological and feeding behaviour of productivity in the Eastern fish associated with FADs The workshops were organised Pacific; and floating objects. by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission and spon­ —Sources and fa te of logs, and The one-day Workshop on sored by Bumble Bee Seafoods. continent—ocean interac­ Assessment Issues Arising from Scientists attended from French tions, with presentations on the Association of Tunas with Polynesia, Japan, New Cale­ litter production and coarse Floating Objects included dis­ donia, Philippines, Senegal, woody debris turnover in cussions on the following top­ Seychelles, the United States tropical forests; sources of ics: and Latin American countries. natural floating objects; mangroves and coastal •— Estimation of fish density (Contributor: TBAP) vegetation dynamics; the when fish are caught in as­ *> use of dissolved organic sociation with logs, with carbon as a satellite-sensed other 'living attractors' (dol­ tracer of river plumes; or­ phins, whales, whale ganic matter sources and sharks), with seabirds and in riverine transport to the unassociated schools: the tropical oceans; the fate of Generalised Linear Model wood at sea; and tropical (GLM) method;

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 SPC ACTIVITIES

FECC Task Force on. fisheries development and, cooperation The Pacific Economic Coop­ clude further tagging in the ous Japanese position that a eration [ Coryference (PECC) Philippines^ stressing regional new management body should Task Force on Fisheries met in benefits of the proposed work. have all distant-water fishing Mexico City 'from 24 to 25 nations and coastal states as February 1992 Following a report on the Latin equal members: It was agreed American study tour by fish­ that PECC could provide a fo­ The agenda included the fol­ eries officers from Fiji, Papua rum for continuing dialogue on lowing subjects: New Guinea and Tuvalu, led this sensitive issue. by SPC's Post-harvest Fisheries — A review of the activities of Adviser, substantial interest Participants attended the the Task Force and the rela­ was expressed regarding the workshop from Australia, tions between the Task Force transfer of post-harvest tech­ Canada, Chile, Colombia; Costa and the Asia-Pacific Eco­ nology from Latin American Rica, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, nomic Cooperation (APEC) countries to Pacific Island na­ Malaysia, Mexico, New Work Project on Fisheries; tions. Zealand, Papua New Guinea, People's Republic of China, — Inter-regional fisheries co­ The Japanese delegation pre­ Peru, Philippines, Republic of operation among Pacific pared a paper on Western Pa­ China (Taiwan), Solomon Is­ developing coastal states, cific tuna management, which lands, Thailand and the United with progress reports on the presented several models of the States. The Permanent South Western Pacific Fisheries possible relationships between Pacific Commission, the South Consultative Committee coastal states, distant-water Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency (WPFCC)and the Trans- fishing nations, a management and the South Pacific Com­ Pacific Fisheries Consulta­ body and a scientific advisory mission were also represented. tive Committee (TPFCC); body. Some of the proposed models outlined in the paper (Contributor: TBAPstaff) — Barriers to trade in Pacific were different from the previ­ fisheries products; *> — Coastal state-distant water fishing nation relations;

— The management of trans- boundary and high seas fisheries resources; and — The growth of aquaculture and the prospects for trans- Pacific co-operation. The director of'WPFCC high­ lighted the work of theRTTPin the Philippines and Indonesia as an example of inter-regional co-operation. SPC's Principal Fisheries Scientist presented a summary of tagging results, which indicated a strong link­ age of tuna stocks in eastern Indonesia and the adjacent Pa­ cific island region. He and the director of WPFCC both spoke on SPC's involvement in the new Philippines Fisheries Sec­ tor Programme (which will in­ x-y, vsN^ E3 SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 which, for practical reasons, THE MARINE TRAINING ANNEX was built alongside Touho port.

AT TOUHO VOCATIONAL Touho, which means 'the in­ surgent1 in the local Melanesian SECONDARY SCHOOL, language, was founded in 1884. Situated between the Tiwaka NORTHERN PROVINCE, NEW river to the south and the Tipindje to the north, Touho lies CALEDONIA 350 km from Noumea (see map below). Its main resources are During 1991, in my capacity as coffee, agriculture, fisheries and SPC Fisheries Information Of­ ; by J.P. Gdudechoux ^ tourism. ficer, I came into contact with a South Pacific Commission teacher from the Poindimie Noumea, New Caledonia Izumi and I were invited to at­ Vocational Secondary School tend the opening ceremony for (LEP), Patrick Rolland. He en­ the Marine Annex and took quired whether the South Pa­ maintenance option) were all advantage of this opportunity cific Commission could provide taught at the Poindimie LEP in to appraise the students' new the school with technical docu­ rooms particularly ill-suited for learning environment and mentation and curriculum ma­ courses on equipment used in familiarise ourselves with the terials for teaching purposes. a marine environment, espe­ curriculum, to get a better idea The Fisheries Development cially maintenance of marine of the educational materials Associate, Masanami Izumi, engines and hulls. needed by schools of this kind. contacted some Japanese firms and from this source we were In the spirit of the Matignon The Marine Annex, located able to begin supplying the LEP Accords, the French Govern­ beside Touho port, required a with materials in the form of ment wished to contribute to capital investment of approxi­ posters, videos and newsletters. the construction of a completely mately 100 million CFP francs new LEP at Touho for 400 pu­ and comprises two large work­ Until last year, the classes for pils (including boarding facili­ shops, one for engine mainte­ the Certificate of Professional ties). The State also made the nance, the other for marine hull Aptitude (CAP) in Develop­ major financial contribution to upkeep (see photos on next ment (marine management and the marine annex to this school, pages). The school has two classrooms (one equipped with audio-vi­ sual equipment), two spare parts stores and some storage space.

The two- year course leads up to the CAP in Development (marine management and maintenance option). The vari­ ous goals sought are the pos­ sible creation of small mainte­ nance businesses, an input of qualified staff for existing companies in New Caledonia, continuing training for the local industry (engine maintenance, safety, conservation of the en­ vironment) and possible further

1G6°E study within the French mer­ chant navy. Map showing the location of Touho, Northern Province, New Caledonia

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 THE MARINE TRAINING ANNEX ATTOUHO VOCATIONAL SECONDARY SCHOOL

students experience a real work situation. Our discussions with the teaching staff revealed a real need for curriculum materials ^ and showed what a positive contribution these make to the coursed The South Pacific Com­ mission has an important part to play in collecting and dis­ tributing documentation within and beyond the region (a list of the educational material avail­ able at SPC was published in the SPC Fisheries Newslet-^ fer#60).

The Marine Annex at Touho vocational secondary school, showing The value of institutions of this the engine maintenance; shop (left) and the hull maintenance kind is now widely recognized shop (right) in New Caledonia.and even beyond the Territory; some The purpose of this option is to One of the-interesting special Tuvaluan education officials prepare students for equipment features of this kind of training may soon be coming to the maintenance in the marine en­ is the vocational aspect. When Territory to visit these LEPs and vironment, in particular marine a lesson concerns a particular see how they operate, engine and hull maintenance. subject (maintenance of the ig­ Their professional tasks come nition system^ for example), the Despite the recent opening of under four main headings: pupils can apply their knowl­ this major educational facility edge by repairing private on the East Coast of New 1. Propulsion: especially.the fishermen's boats with ignition Caledonia, much remains to be maintenance, diagnosis, re-i trouble. The school receives no done to coax this area out of its pair, testing, adjusting and financial reward from this ser­ isolation and enable future fitting of petrol and diesel vice (it being up to the fisher­ successful students to find last­ engines; man to purchase any spare ing employment in the region. parts required), but this is an 2. Extra training in general me­ excellent method because the TO> chanical engineering, heat treatment and some notions »»]&-. r..*;*.-* of welding and design; ' ^..1—~r^2£ 3. Maintenance of wooden or fibreglass hulls; 4. Introduction to the marine environment: safety, envi­ ronment, rudiments of navigation and practical applications. The teaching week consists of 36 hours of classroom work divided into 20 hours of general ^mm teaching and 16 hours of voca­ tional training. The pupils are divided into two classes (Year 1 and Year 2), each accommo­ View of the hull maintenance shop dating 12 pupils.

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 THE MARINE TRAINING ANNEX AT TOUHO VOCATIONAL SECONDARY SCHOOL

The engine maintenance shop has a full range of tools and a variety of functional work stations.

o o

An example of useful educational material: poster showing a cross-section of an outboard motor.

8 3

This outboard motor test tank is the only one of its kind in the Territory.

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 the body. Rapid ascents, espe­ SCUBA DIVING IN PACIFIC cially ones where divers do not exhale, can cause over-expan­ ISLAND FISHERIES DIVISIONS: sion and rupture of lungs be­ cause of trapped air. Air em­ SAFETY LESSONS TO BE bolism is the most serious lung Over-pressure disorder. It re­ LEARNED sults in air bubbles being trapped in the circulatory sys­ Introduction tem. This may produce central by L Fomel and R. Gillett nervous system damage such In recent years there has been a FAO/UNDP Regional Fishery as permanent paralysis, brain tremendous increase in SCUBA Support Programme damage or heart attack. diving by the staff of the fish­ Suva, Fiji eries divisions in the Pacific Is­ Another serious problem asso­ lands. National and regional shops, a number of generalisa­ ciated with rapid ascents is training courses for fishery per­ tions can be made. Although decompression sickness, also sonnel have been sponsored by there are differences between known as 'the bends'. While several donor agencies and countries with respect to there is always a risk of bends have resulted in the training of SCUBA diving practices, there with any use of SCUBA, re­ a large number of staff. This has are many common hazards, gardless of depths and times, enabled local staff to perform concerns and dangerous situa­ rapid ascents greatly increase tasks which previously were tions. The following is an at­ this possibility. Nitrogen bub­ carried out by expatriate per­ tempt to consolidate observa­ bles occur in tissues, causing sonnel. tions on unsafe practices in or­ pain and numbness resulting in der to decrease the risks associ­ central nervous system disor­ As with the introduction of any ated with fisheries division ders. new technology which contains diving. some degree of physical dan­ During the SCUBA safety ger, there have been problems. Rapid ascents courses, it was noted that a In some Pacific countries fish­ surprising number of former eries division staff have been In the Pacific Islands the most SCUBA divers were no longer involved in accidents. In otheis, serious common SCUBA prob­ able to dive because of ear unsafe diving practices could. lems are caused by rapid as­ damage. It is likely that many easily result in a disaster. Some cents to the surface. This is most of these problems originated equipment Used is inadequate often due to an unforeseen air from rapid ascents or improper for the tasks, while other gear is depletion situation, but also equalisation techniques. in poor condition. occurs as a result of panic, usu­ ally from environmental threats Running but of air Because the United Nations such as sharks or strong cur­ fishing programmes in the Pa­ rents. Correct ascent rates are As indicated above, a major cific have had a major involve­ betWeen 40 and 60 ftpe r minute cause of rapid ascents is simply ment in SCUBA training for (12-18m/minute), witha three- that the diver has run but of air. fisheries work, there has been to five-minute safety stop on all Much more attention needs to an obligation to follow up the dives at 15 ft (5 m) below the be given to having properly initial instruction. Accordingly, surface. This stop should be functioning gauges and moni­ the FAO/UNDP Regional made regardless of how shaV toring the gauges diligently to Fishery Support Programme low or how short the dives are. prevent serious injury. has sponsored SCUBA safety Some divers feel shallow dives workshops in the fisheries di­ for relatively short times require Running out of air is not just visions of six Pacific Island no stop. This is not true. bad for the diver,- the equip­ countries, in which the diving ment suffers as well With the practices of approximately 75 Rapid ascents can create lung last breath of air from a tank, a divers were reviewed. over-pressure problems caused vacuum is created and water by pressure differences be­ enters the regulator and cylin­ With the experience gained tween the air inside the lung der. It can damage seats, cor­ from carrying out these work- and the water on the outside of rode hoses internally, cause

SPC Fistieries Newsletter #61, SCUBA DIVING IN PACIFIC ISLAND FISHERIES DIVISIONS: SAFETY LESSONS TO BE LEARNED gauges to read incorrectly and up to 60 per cent of the people lungs found in divers with produce corrosion in the cylin­ getting bends are using com­ asthma, bronchitis, chronic der which could result in air puters. Even more surprising is cough, colds, flu, lung cysts, unsafe for breathing or cylinder that 49 per cent of bends vic­ history of punctured or col­ failure. This could be pre­ tims treated in Honolulu had lapsed lung, etc. Certain lung vented, firstly by taking mea­ been diving within the limits of disorders should therefore sures not to run out of air or, the US. Navy tables, 29 per cent preclude diving, either tempo­ failing that, having regulators within the PADI (Professional rarily or permanently. These cleaned, seats replaced, and Association of Diving Instruc­ disorders can cause air trapping cylinders cleaned each time the tors) Recreational Dive Planner even when the ascent and situation occurs. and 21 per cent within NAUI breathing pattern of the diver is (National Association of Un­ normal. Many divers inter­ Use of dive tables derwater Instructors) tables. viewed in the Pacific Island The conclusion is that tables dive safety courses were diving The use of diving tables or other should be used, but they should despite these lung conditions. means of keeping track of ni­ be used conservatively together trogen intake is very important with consideration of factors An annual SCUBA-oriented for reducing the possibility of affecting the diver's fitness. physical examination should be decompression sickness. In required for all divers. Direc­ several of the fisheries divisions Multi-day repetitive dives tions to medical personnel for no tables or other methods are administering such examina­ being employed. Either no trai­ Many fisheries division divers tions are available from the ning has been given or that are doing work on clams, Regional Fishery Support which was has been forgotten sponges, pearl oysters or fish Programme (UNDP, Private In some places tables are used stock assessment which in­ Mail Bag, Suva), PADI (1251E. incorrectly. Dive tables are volves diving long hours for Dyer Road #100, Santa Ana, based on comprehensive re­ several days in a row. At California, USA 92705), or Dive search, experience, and manu­ present there are no tables or Pacific International (Box 1656, facturers' rules of operation and dive computers that take this Lahaina, Hawaii, USA 96767). must be followed for safe div­ type of diving into account. ing. An additional problem re­ Multi-day repetitive divers are Recreational drug use, smok­ lating to dive tables is that some at high risk of bends. Addi­ ing and drinking divers are attempting to devise tional negative factors, such as multi-level dive plans from getting cold because of ill-fitting In many areas clivers use rec­ tables designed for single depth wetsuits or lack of wetsuits, reational drugs such as kava or dives. multiple ascents, tiredness and betel nut before and after div­ dehydration, which are com­ ing. No research has been done It should also be noted that even mon in fisheries-related diving, on their effects on divers. Im­ the use of dive tables or a dive further increase the risk. paired judgement is, however, computer does not entirely a likely side-effect. In addition, eliminate risk. Many divers are Many experts now recommend it is not known what effect these at risk of bends if they stay that no more than two dives per substances combined with down for long periods, even in day should be undertaken for pressure and nitrogen may shallow water. Multi-level not more than three days in a have on a diver. It has been dives in which divers start deep row, and that divers wait 24-48 determined that certain drugs, and gradually work up to more hours before going to a high such as nitrous oxide, increase shallow water should only be altitude or travelling in a plane. tissue loading. The use of kava undertaken with great caution. It should be noted that this rec­ or betel nut in conjunction with While a computer may indicate ommendation will modify diving is therefore not recom­ that they are theoretically pos­ many SCUBA work pro­ mended. sible, other factors, such as the grammes in fisheries divisions. diver being tired, dehydrated, A surprising number of Pacific hung-over or sick, cannot be Lung fitness Island divers smoke and drink considered by the computer without knowledge of the and can increase the risk of de­ Lung over-expansion injuries, SCUBA-related side effects. compression sickness. In fact, described earlier, can also be Drinking and smoking both recent research indicates that caused by air trapped in unfit cause peripheral vaso-constric- Q SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 SCUBA DIVING IN PACIFIC ISLAND FISHERIES DIVISIONS: SAFETY LESSONS TO BE LEARNED tion> increasing the possibility diving and forabout four hours by a qualified technician and of hypothermia and reducing afterwards. records of this servicing are proper release of nitrogen. only done in a few fisheries Drinking also causes dehydra­ Many fisheries division divers divisions. Tanks stored on a wet tion and, combined with a were unaware that certain pre­ cement floor (increases corro­ touch of seasickness, hangover scription and non-prescription sion), wet suits dripping on and heat, increases bends risk. drugs, such as those used for tanks (corrosion), and regula­ Many of the Pacific Island cases asthma and high blood pres­ tors hanging so that hoses are of the bends are listed as sure, can cause fatal side-effects bent (wear) were commonly 'complicated by alcohol. when combined with SCUBA observed (Figure 1). To avoid diving. Unless medical au­ having debris accumulate, cyL Smoking increases the risk of thorities have confirmed that a inders should never be com­ lung over-expansion, due to a particular drug is safe, nobody pletely drained, but stored with general weakening of the lungs taking medication should be a minimum of 300 to 500 PSl (50 and coating of alveoli which allowed to dive. bar). prevents proper gas exchange. Gas poisoning can occur as the Equipment problems Wet suits that do not fit prop­ partial pressures of the surface- erly and inadequate buoyancy inhaled carbon monoxide in­ Although the cost of obtaining regulation were common crease on descent. The possi­ new gear was cited by fisheries equipment problems. Using a bility of heart attack (the num­ officers as a major difficulty, wet suit that is tpolarge (or not ber one killer of divers) is in­ many of the equipment prob­ using a wet suit, in cool water) creased with smoking. lems observed could be easily can cause a diver to become avoided through preventive cold and subject to hypother­ Divers should refrain from maintenance and proper stor­ mia, increasing the risk of smoking and drinking before age of gear. Regular servicing bends. If a wet suit is too small,

!• Figure 1: Wet suits dripping on tanks (left), and regulators hanging so that hoses are bent (right) were commonly observed in fisheries divisions.

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 SCUBA DIVING IN PACIFIC ISLAND FISHERIES DIVISIONS: SAFETY LESSONS TO BE LEARNED it can restrict blood flow, caus­ ing nitrogen accumulation in •ia;;dJ tissues. Buoyancy regulation problems noted included in­ adequate weighting, total ab­ sence of buoyancy control de­ vices (BC), and BCs which would self-inflate, possibly causing a rapid ascent. Because of these buoyancy problems, many fisheries division divers complain of fatigue. Exertion increases the risk of bends, may cause panic and can result in an inability to maintain safe depths and perform safety stops when surfacing. Figure 3: Improper compressor air intake arrangements were very The condition of the SCUBA common in the fisheries divisions. tanks causes some worry. Tanks containing dead wasps, is stored or knock over a large significant number of these ac­ water/oil, green algae or cor­ bus (Figure 2). cidents were noted during the rosion were noted in almost safety work and mention is every fisheries division. The The quality of air inside tanks therefore made of them here. number of cracked/corroded/ is very important. Debris inside Extreme hyperventilation prior uninspectable tanks was also tanks, compressor filter prob­ to descending alters the carbon quite large. A SCUBA tank lems and improper compressor dioxide to oxygen ratio in the which explodes could easily air intake arrangements (Figure body tissues and reduces the destroy the building in which it 3) were astonishingly common breathing triggering mecha­ in the fisheries divi­ nism. This can cause uncon­ sions. Bad air can sciousness on surfacing and cause headache, nau­ subsequent drowning, heart sea, vomiting, breath­ attack or the loss of the diver in ing difficulty, blurred strong currents. This possibility vision or even death. is increased if the diver practises multiple descents in rapid suc­ It should be stressed cession. that the most serious equipment-related Certain free divers who remain problem in the Pacific under water for long periods Islands is misuse: spe­ repetitively, especially those cifically, not using involved in pearl culture, can be gauges, paying no at­ subject to decompression sick­ tention to dive tables/ ness even though they are not computers, and im­ using SCUBA. To reduce the proper storage /main­ possibility of this, divers should tenance of gear. take a rest period between dives and no more than three hyper­ Shallow water black­ ventilation breaths should be out taken.

Although shallow- Shark attacks water black-out is ex­ perienced by free It is somewhat ironic that the divers and is not a primary safety concern of the SCUBA accident, a participants involved in the Figure 2: SCUBA tanks do explode and SCUBA workshops was one can knock over a large bus.

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 SCUBA DIVING IN PACIFIC ISLAND FISHERIES DIVISIONS: SAFETY If SSONS. TO BE LEARNED

SCUBA workshops was one habits, they see no need to safety aspects of diving which that is not very important sta­ change. Many older divers feel are having a major effect on tistically. The 75 divers attend­ that the new guidelines are ori­ SCUBA practices. Examples, of ing the workshops perceived ented to the casual expatriate this are: the relationship be­ shark attacks as the greatest sport diver and do not apply to tween flying and diving in the safety hazard. Evidence of those who dive much more of­ same 24-hour period, dehydra­ shark attacks on SCUBA divers ten. tion and lack of sleep causing was, however, non-existent in bends, the discovery that diving the countries where workshops The problem with this philoso­ in water 8 m deep can cause the were carried out. phy is the cumulative long-term bends,and the increased risk of effects of diving, especially brain damage when multi-day Safety awareness of supervi­ from multi-day repetitive dives repetitive diving is done. sors over many years, combined with disregard for safe depths It is unfortunate that little of this The SCUBA safety courses and times. This can place the current information is brought sponsored by FAO were gen­ older and more experienced to the attention of SCUBA erally well attended by the mid- divers at a higher risk of de­ clivers in the Pacific Islands. In level staff of the fisheries divi­ generative dive-related diseases this region diving periodicals sions. The supervisors of the such as hone necrosis; bone are expensive and difficult to diving staff, however, were marrow cancer; retina, liver and obtain. Even qualified SCUBA frequently not present. Al­ neurological disorders; and instructors who are on mailing though the divers may have various types of anaemias. Ex­ lists get their information ir­ become more safety- conscious, perience in the Pacific Islands regularly. International agen­ in some cases it appears that has shown that a relaxed atti^ cies dedicated to diving safety they were required to return to rude towards established such as the National Associa­ the same potentially risky en­ SCUBA safety practices can be tion of Underwater Instructors vironment because those di­ very dangerous. (NAUI), the Professional Asso­ recting work were unaware of ciation of Diving Instructors unsafe conditions. Lack of current information (PADI), the Divers Alert Net­ work (DAN), and the Divers The effectiveness of the training A related problem is that some Emergency Service (DES), often is obviously limited if the divers who attempt to adhere to feel the Pacific is a geographic trainees must go back to former updated diving standards have nightmare to service and that practices. In addition; misun­ difficulty obtaining current in­ there are not enough people in derstandings cari occur when a formation* Many divers were the area to warrant attention. supervisor unknowingly asks a certified some years ago, but There is clearly a need for some worker to perform in a manner recently much research has agency based in the Padfic Is­ that he has learned is unsafe been done. This new work, es­ lands to obtain and disseminate during training. It is therefore pecially in the areas of nitrogen current SCUBA diving infor­ important that the diving su­ uptake and physiology, shows mation. pervisors be at least as well in­ that many of the diving 'rules of formed on safety aspects as the thumb' are not valid. For ex­ Conclusions divers themselves. ample, the old theory that de­ compression sickness is not a From the six.SCUBA safety Established habits problem in less than 10 m (33 ft) workshops sponsored by the of water, or that bends cannot Regional Fishery Support Many fisheries division divers, occur on only one tarik of air, Programme certain common especially older ones, are reluc­ has been disproved. features are apparent. Serious tant, to change their ways; Al­ accidents are most often caused though they acknowledge the Until recently, little research by rapid ascents and disregard value of updated information had been done on the effects of for time at depths. In almost all and agree that some of the new diving since the U.S> Navy's cases these are caused by diver practices pose less risk, they World War II work. With bet­ error and therefore avoidable. insist that their own practices ter data and superior ways of A more diligent and conserva­ have served them well in the processing information, scien­ tive use of dive tables in con­ past. Since they have experi­ tists are now reaching impor­ junction with more rigorous enced little difficulty from these tant conclusions on health and monitoring of gauges could

^ SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 SCUBA DIVING IN PACIFIC ISLAND FISHERIES DIVISIONS: SAFETY LESSONS TO BE LEARNED eliminate many serious acci- A constant, on-going attempt late the following notes to all dents. Improper maintenance should be made to stress safety fisheries division divers and to of gear, rather than the lack of aspects of diving and to prevent post them on a notice board. gear, appears to be the most a relaxed attitude. In this re- V"^ important equipment problem, gard, it may be useful to circu- '

Safe Diving Practices 1. Understand and adhere to your dive tables. Always do deeper dives first and successive dives shallower. Be conservative and build in safety factors. 2. Ascend at 18 metres (60 feet) per minute or slower. Always stop at 5 metres (15 feet) for 3 to 5 minutes. Avoid altitude or flying for at least 24 hours. 3. Never hold your breath while SCUBA diving. Never dive when under the influence of drugs or alcohol, when hung-over, dehydrated, or sick, especially if the illness affects circulatory or the respiratory functions. Always equalise ears early and often. Cancel dives that you consider unsafe. 4. Always maintain your equipment and check it before and after each dive. Have repairs done at minimum once a year. Never run your tank out of air. 5. Be aware of dive planning. Prior to diving establish the maximum depth, maximum time, ininimum air, communications and a buddy system. Always follow your plan. 6. It is always wise to have oxygen available at every dive site. At the very least, divers and those who supervise diving operations should be aware of the nearest source of medical oxygen, as well as the nearest recompression chamber, nearest physician with experience in SCUBA disorders, and medical evacuation procedures. 7. Restrict dives to a maximum of two per day. Take 24 hours off from diving after every third day. Always allow one hour or more between dives. 8. Understand and control your buoyancy. Always use a BC and do not overweight yourself. Rest when you are tired. 9. Always dive with a buddy. Never separa te, even on ascents. Practise emergency procedures and dive skills together at least every three months. A boatman trained in emergency proce­ dures should be at the surface during all dives. 10. Upgrade training whenever possible and keep current in knowledge and skills. Share your knowledge with appropriate local authorities, government officials and medical personnel. Emergency Telephone Numbers Australia: Divers Emergency Services United States: Divers Alert Network Tel (61) 008 08 8200 Tel: 1-919-684-8111

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61 © Copyright South Pacific Commission 1992

The South Pacific Commission authorises the reproduction of this material, whole or in part, in any form, provided appropriate acknowledgement is given. Original text English South Pacific Commission, B.P. D5, Noumea Cedex, New Caledonia Telephone: 26-20-00 - Cable: SOUTHPACOM NOUMEA - Telex: 3139NM SOPACOM - FAX: (687) 26-38-18

SPC Fisheries Newsletter #61