Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Size-selective catch by fishing operation technique in tropical tuna purse seine fishery in the Western Indian Ocean: Feasibility of free school operation for skippers

  • Original Article
  • Fisheries
  • Published:
Fisheries Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Size-selective fishing operation types and skippers’ fishing strategies in operation type combinations were analyzed using fishing data from Thai tuna purse seiners in the Western Indian Ocean during 2005–2007. Catch species and size compositions of tropical tuna, i.e., skipjack, yellowfin and bigeye tunas, were compared among operation types, including free school (FS), fish aggregating device, natural log, and other floating objects operations. FS operation was found to be the most size-selective technique, and caught the fewest small-sized individuals, while the associated operations were less size-selective. Fishing strategy analysis showed that success rates and differences between optimistic and actual values represent economic risk. FS operation holds the highest risk; however, it represents potentially high-revenue fishing because of its ability to catch large-sized individuals and high-priced species. Skipper skills are believed to affect a skipper’s fishing strategy, and specialist and generalist skippers were both identified in this analysis. The specialists achieved high revenue by overcoming the risks of FS operation via their skills, while generalists distributed fishing efforts over operation types to avoid risks. Simulation results suggested that high- and moderate- skilled skippers can shift to FS operations with no revenue decline to respond to the policies of the Tuna Regional Fishery Management Organizations, which increasingly promote FS operation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. ISSF (2015) ISSF tuna stock status update, 2015: status of the world fisheries for tuna. ISSF, Washington DC

    Google Scholar 

  2. Hall M, Roman M (2013) Bycatch and non-tuna catch in the tropical tuna purse seine fisheries of the world. FAO, Rome

    Google Scholar 

  3. Misund OA, Kolding J, Fréon P (2002) Fish capture devices in industrial and artisanal fisheries and their influence on management. In: Hart PJB, Reynolds JD (eds) Handbook of fish biology and fisheries, vol 2., fisheriesBlackwell Publishing, Oxford, pp 13–36

    Google Scholar 

  4. IOTC (2012) Report of the sixteenth session of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission. IOTC, Victoria

  5. Davies TK, Mees CC, Milner-Gulland EJ (2014) The past, present and future use of drifting fish aggregating devices (FADs) in the Indian Ocean. Mar Policy 45:163–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Dagorn L, Holland KN, Restrepo V, Moreno G (2013) Is it good or bad to fish with FADs? What are the real impacts of the use of drifting FADs on pelagic marine ecosystems? Fish Fish 14:391–415

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Cayré P, Amon Kothias JB, Diouf T, Stretta JM (1993) Biology of Tuna. In: Fonteneau A, Marcille J (eds) Resources, fishing and biology of the tropical tunas of the Eastern Central Atlantic. FAO, Rome, pp 147–244

    Google Scholar 

  8. Orange CJ, Schaefer MB, Larmie FM (1957) Schooling habits of yellowfin tuna (Neothunnus macropterus) and skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, as indicated by purse seine catch records, 1946–1955. Inter-Am Trop Tuna Comm Bull 2:83–126

    Google Scholar 

  9. Inoue M (1959) On the relation of behaviours of skipjack and tuna shoals to their catch inferred from the data for seine fishery. Bull Jpn Soc Sci Fish 25:12–16 (in Japanese with English abstract)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Lopez J, Moreno G, Sancristobal I, Murua J (2014) Evolution and current state of the technology of echo-sounder buoys used by Spanish tropical tuna purse seiners in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. Fish Res 155:127–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Taquet M, Sancho G, Dagorn L, Gaertner J, Itano D, Aumeeruddy R, Wendling B, Peignon C (2007) Characterizing fish communities associated with drifting fish aggregating devices (FADs) in the Western Indian Ocean using underwater visual surveys. Aquat Living Resour 20:331–341

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Chan V, Clarke R, Squires D (2014) Full retention in tuna fisheries: benefits, costs and unintended consequences. Mar Policy 45:213–221

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Chumchuen W, Matsuoka T, Anraku K, Arnupapboon S (2016) Size-selective catch in tropical tuna purse seine fishery in the Eastern Indian Ocean: assessment on new selectivity model for purse seine net. Fish Sci. doi:10.1007/s12562-016-0977-9

  14. Kawamoto T (2014) Drastic international changes around overseas purse seine fishery and required enlargement of fishing vessels. Discuss Pap Ser Jap Soc Fish Econ 6:1–6 (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Kuldilok KS, Dawson PJ, Lingard J (2013) The export competitiveness of the tuna industry in Thailand. Brit Food J 115:328–341

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Fuller DW, Schaefer KM (2014) Evaluation of a fishing captain’s ability to predict species composition, sizes, and quantities of tunas associated with drifting fish-aggregating devices in the eastern Pacific Ocean. ICES J Mar Sci. doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsu012

    Google Scholar 

  17. Guillotreau P, Salladarré F, Dewals P, Dagorn L (2011) Fishing tuna around Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) vs free swimming schools: skipper decision and other determining factors. Fish Res 109:234–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Morón J (2006) Tuna fishing capacity: perspective of the purse-seine fishing industry on factors affecting it and its management. In: Bayliff WH, Majkowski J (eds) Methodological workshop on the management of tuna fishing capacity: stock status, data envelopment analysis, industry surveys and management options. FAO, Rome, pp 117–127

    Google Scholar 

  19. Ruttan LM, Tyedmers PH (2007) Skippers, spotters and seiners: analysis of the “skipper effect” in US menhaden (Brevoortia spp.) purse-seine fisheries. Fish Res 83:73–80

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Salas S, Gaertner D (2004) The behavioural dynamics of fishers: management implications. Fish Fish 5:153–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Tsitsika EV, Maravelias CD (2008) Fishing strategy choices of purse seines in the Mediterranean: implications for management. Fish Sci 74:19–27

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Kawamoto T (2010) Considerations on fishing strategy in overseas purse seine fishery. Discuss Pap Ser Jap Soc Fish Econ 5:36–55 (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  23. WCPFC (2008) Conservation and management measure for bigeye and yellowfin tuna in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. WCPFC, Pohnpei

    Google Scholar 

  24. WCPFC (2015) Conservation and management measures (CMMs) and resolutions of the Western Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC). WCPFC, Pohnpei

    Google Scholar 

  25. IOTC (2015) Report of the nineteenth session of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission. IOTC, Victoria

  26. Davies TK, Mees CC, Milner-Gulland EJ (2014) Modelling the spatial behaviour of a tropical tuna purse seine fleet. PLoS One. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0114037

    Google Scholar 

  27. Wilen JE (1979) Fisherman behavior and design of efficient fisheries regulation programs. J Fish Res Board Can 36:855–858

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. IOTC (2013) Report of the seventeenth session of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission. IOTC, Victoria

Download references

Acknowledgments

Authors would like to thank the tuna purse seiners and the Department of Fisheries, Thailand, for supporting our usage of the fishing data. We sincerely thank Thai Union Group Public Co., Ltd., Thailand for providing the fish prices data. This study was supported by a scholarship from the Agricultural Research Development Agency (ARDA), Thailand. We thank Dr. Shiela Villamor for helping to improve the English in this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima, 890-0065, Japan

    Watcharapong Chumchuen

  2. Faculty of Fisheries, Kagoshima University, 4-50-20 Shimoarata, Kagoshima, 890-0056, Japan

    Tatsuro Matsuoka & Kazuhiko Anraku

  3. Deep Sea Fishery Technology Research and Development Institute, Department of Fisheries, Srisamut Road, Pak Nam, Mueang Samut Prakan, Samut Prakan, 10270, Thailand

    Watcharapong Chumchuen & Wilailux Premkit

Authors
  1. Watcharapong Chumchuen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tatsuro Matsuoka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kazuhiko Anraku
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Wilailux Premkit
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tatsuro Matsuoka.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chumchuen, W., Matsuoka, T., Anraku, K. et al. Size-selective catch by fishing operation technique in tropical tuna purse seine fishery in the Western Indian Ocean: Feasibility of free school operation for skippers. Fish Sci 82, 405–416 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-016-0976-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-016-0976-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation