Version 13 SAILFITEENS TAKE ON BILLFISH CONSERVASTHION Fisheries Series PART 1: ARTISANAL Jr. Anglers of ALABAMA Recapture MAPS TBF’s New Short Movie GET HOOKED! CONTENTS Inside this issue of Sailfish FEATURES 3 Artisanal Fisheries Learn about various styles of artisanal fisheries from around the world. 6 Jr. Anglers of Alabama Jr. Anglers learning that conservation actually does pay! 7 TBF Tracking Maps Follow two fish in the Caribbean & Gulf of Mexico. Back Cover TBF’s new video GeT Hooked and the new online database. FRONT COVER courtesy of Capt. Chris Sheeder. Capt. Sheeder is captain at the world renown Casa Vieja Lodge in Guatemala and former TBF Tag & Release Award winner. We would like to extend our gratitude to the Fleming Family Foundation, and the 5: TBF NEWS William H. and Mattie Wattis Harris Foundation for their belief in education • The Science Behind Sportfishing as an important conservation tool. The Billfish Founation, educators, students, • Student and Teacher of the Year parents, the ocean and the fish are grateful for our sponsors generous donation that • TBF Visits the Ballpark made this issue of Sailfish possible. Copyright 2013 • The Billfish Foundation • Editor: Peter Chaibongsai • Contributing Writer: Jorie Heilman • Graphic Designer: Jackie Marsolais Sister Publications: Billfish and Spearfish magazines • Published by The Billfish Foundation • For subscription information contact: [email protected] Artisanal Fisheries: by Jorie Heilman ishing is a pastime that humans have participated F in since the earliest of times. When one thinks of fishing, you might think of a trip out to a local dock or pond using a rod and reel with some bait on the end of a hook. This does describe one type of fishing, but did you know there are other variations of fishing, specifically when it comes to a person’s livelihood? Fishing can be divided into three sectors; traditional (artisanal), commercial and recreational. Commercial fishing includes both wild caught and farmed fisheries. Recreational fishing, typically with a rod and reel, is a main focus for The Billfish Foundation. This category extends to fishing in salt antiquated and and freshwater, including a range unprofitable way to fish, of species from big game fish like but for stilt fishermen in Sri Lanka, this billfish, to smaller species like traditional practice is their livelihood. salmon and catfish. Any kind of The fishermen perch on the petta fishing can have profound impacts (crossbar) and use a rod to fish for on the targeted species and to the herring and mackerel. The benefit of livelihood and culture of the this type of fishing is that unlike nets or FRONT COVER courtesy of Capt. Chris Sheeder. Capt. Sheeder is captain at the people involved. This is article is other fishing methods, the fish do not the first in a series that will focus world renown Casa Vieja Lodge in Guatemala and former TBF Tag & Release Award winner. get scared away as easily. Despite all on the different sectors of the this effort, the fish may only sell for a fishing industry. few cents. Stilt fishing is an example of Sitting for hours on the crossbars of an artisanal fishery, meaning it is small tall metal poles anchored in the reef scale, for subsistence (consumed by (top photo) might seem like an locals) and typically employs traditional methods. • The Science Behind Sportfishing Artisanal fisheries occur all over the world and play an important role in food security. It is estimated that 30 • Student and Teacher of the Year million tons of fish come from artisanal sources every year which is • TBF Visits the Ballpark equivalent to the amount harvested by industrial fisheries. Surprising right? What is even more surprising is that 150 million people are considered to rely directly on artisanal fishing in some way. This means that a larger 3 Photo courtesy of Antonio “Tuba” Amaral Many traditional methods flourish today; some are waning in the face of competition from industrial fishing among other issues. For example, Belgium fishermen have harvested shrimp from horseback for over five hundred years, yet now it has been preserved as a tourist attraction; not as a profitable fishery. Since artisanal fisheries are often very specific to one area or species, unpredicted environmental events like an oil spill, algal bloom or major storm can have huge impacts on subsistence fishermen. This makes them less financially stable and efficient than their industrial counterparts. When considering conservation there are advantages and disadvantages to Two Remoras are attached to a Marlin above, which are used in some countries to catch larger fish. At right is a close up of a Remora’s suction cups. artisanal fishing. Since they are small scale, their ability to detrimentally number of people depend on artisanal fishing than commercial affect any specific area may not be as fishing making this “small-scale” sector a crucial industry to large as commercial fishing. However, study and understand. (CMBC) overfishing can still be a major issue. These small-scale traditional fisheries offer some unique and Overfishing is the depletion of interesting fishing practices worldwide. For example, variations populations and stocks below levels of baskets have been used. It can be dated all the way back to that can be sustained. In some areas, too many fishermen the usage of weir baskets by the Egyptians for thousands of sharing a tiny area causes pressure on the local fish populations years. Some indigenous people still use basket fishing today. even though each individual fisherman is considered small scale. For example, the Wagenya people of the Democratic Republic This is a good example of a phenomenon called the tragedy of of Congo set up large baskets on tripods in the rivers, an the commons. The idea is that when there is a large shared extremely selective method that catches only large fish. resource that seems limitless (like the ocean), people naturally (center photo previous page) want to maximize the amount they collect with no regard that when everyone has that mindset, the resource is no longer Employing animals are another way to harvest fish for many limitless. This trend must be kept in mind when considering how artisanal fisheries. Cormorant fishing has existed for hundreds to deal with conservation and management issues. of years throughout the world, in places like Peru, China and Japan. In Japan, the fishermen first have to get the cormorants Overall, there are aspects of artisanal fisheries that lend acclimated to living with them, and slowly train them to catch themselves to a lower ecological impact than other parts of the and deliver fish. (bottom photo previous page) Remoras are fish fishing industry. Fuel consumption is lower because there aren’t that has a suction dish on top of its head which it uses to attach large ships to power. Many of the methods do not require fuel at to large fish and sea turtles. By connecting a line to the remora’s all. Technology is less complex, therefore easier to maintain and fins, the fishermen use it to find these larger animals. This may have a lower environmental impact. Construction costs can practice is employed in places like Australia and the West be lower because the ships are simpler and don’t have to travel Indies. (see photo above) far distances. On the opposite side of this, safety equipment can suffer from the simplicity of artisanal fishing. Also, since Many artisanal fisheries are quite simple. Spears, fish traps, fishing efforts directly relate to being able feed or support their hand lines and nets deployed from small boats, canoes or the families, fishermen are more willing to do risky things while shore are all common forms of fishing that occur worldwide. CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 Various types of artisinal fishermen below. Left: Egyptian Nubian’s fishing the Nile River. Center: Fishermen on the Blatna Pond Czech republic have enjoyed this technology since the 1550’s. Right are shrimpers on horseback in Belgium. 44 4 SAILFISH NEWS THE SCIENCE BEHIND SPORTFISHING Students from South Broward High School recently got to participate in an exciting adventure of rod building! LMR Tackle helped TBF to create a fun, learning experience for local students. For 2 days students built their own fishing rod with the help of LMR staff. The kids were using their math and science skills (without even realizing it) donated blank billfish mounts for Jessica TBF and other students to decorate and CONGRATULATES later auctioned at the fundraiser! Over $600 was donated to TBF’s Education STUDENT & program. A big thanks to Jessica TEACHER OF and Susan for all your hard work! THE YEAR Science and Congratulations to Jessica Jessup and Susan Ostheim from South Broward Education at High School, who have been nominated as “Week of the Ocean” Student and the Ballpark Teacher of the year! Jessica Jessup How about instead of a day in class worked extremely hard on a beautiful you get to spend a day at the ballpark? wall mural and organized a Billfish Art Well, almost 10,000 students across fundraiser for TBF. Ms. Susan Ostheim South Florida got that opportunity! helped with the making of the wall mural CBS4 had their 8th annual Weather Day with artist Carey Chen and she also at Marlins Park on May 1st. Kids from organized the art fundraiser. One of elementary and middle schools in the TBF’s sponsors, King Sailfish Mounts, area got the opportunity to learn about weather patterns and billfish from local “Week of the Ocean” Student of the Year Jessica scientists. The program showed kids Students from South Broward High School had Jessup and Teacher of the Year Susan Ostheim the basics behind weather, including with their Carey Chen-inspired mural.