Tag Archives: Southern bluefin tuna
Jack Bellamy, South Australia’s traditional tuna fisher pioneer poles his last fish at 88
Jack Bellamy says he’s poled his last southern bluefin tuna. The 88-year-old is a pioneer of the commercial tuna fishing industry in South Australia and is the last of his era to land a tuna by pole. Mr Bellamy came to South Australia with his twin, Keith, 70 years ago from Port Fairy in Victoria, aboard the purpose-built purse seine net boat, Motor Fishing Vessel (MFV) Tacoma. The Haldane family built the wooden boat over seven years. When it was ready to launch, the neighbouring Bellamy twins, who’d grown up watching it take shape outside their kitchen window, joined the crew. They turned 18 on the way to Port Lincoln. Video, photos, >click to read< 07:55
Commercial southern bluefin tuna fleet battles turbulent La Niña weather and global market
More than 40 vessels and six spotter planes are involved in the search for large schools of bluefin tuna off the picturesque tourist town of Robe. About 10,000 fish at a time will be captured and towed in cages to farms at Port Lincoln — the home of the state’s tuna industry — to be grown out for key markets in Japan and China. Australian Southern Bluefin Tuna Industry Association chief executive Brian Jeffriess said the La Niña weather event was causing problems for the sector. He said the cooler weather conditions were fuelling “unpredictable” fishing trends and lower catch rates. >click to read< 13:50
Australian Southern bluefin tuna boom reaps reward for east coast fishermen
Southern bluefin tuna fishermen along the east coast are making the most of a booming Japanese market. Aquaculture quotas in South Australia are being leased to the east coast long-line fishery as it proves more efficient and profitable. Australian Southern Bluefin Tuna Association chief executive Brian Jeffries said operators were cashing in on the rejuvenated fishery and South-East Asia demand. “The catch on the east coast of southern bluefin has gone from 30 tonnes about three to four years ago to almost 600 tonnes this year,” he said. “That’s a major diversification of the use of the quota from fish farming in South Australia to long lining on the east coast.” The shift from aquaculture to wild-caught tuna is driven by profitability, as well as a relaxation over the regulation around the way catch quota can be distributed. Read the rest here 18:59
