Diving On A Purse Seiner's Net - Skipjack Tuna And Bycatch Pix

It's been a while since I lasted posted here, but the reason I am back is to share my fantastic, yet deeply troubling, experience diving on a purse seiner fishing vessel's net in Ecuador whilst it was targetting skipjack tuna.

Pix here here: http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/node/2271

And topside pix of the purse sein carnage is here: http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/node/2270

I was quite shaken by the whole thing. It freaked me out.

Moreover I was quite alarmed by the lack of sharks. I reckon they've all been eaten in the Chinese soup bowls by now.

Please leave comments either here or directly on my blog (or both) and I will be happy to respond to any questions...

cheers

Alex

Were you riding along with one of the two boats? If so, how did you compel the crew to take you along?

Were you riding along with one of the two boats? If so, how did you compel the crew to take you along?

I went with an NGO, but at this moment I apologize that I am unable to disclose which one, due to the sensitive issues surrounding the permission from the fishermen etc...

interesting for sure. def an eye opener.

Were you just there on one day? or were you able to capture more days worth of catch?

Compelling pictures!

Thanks for sharing!

Karel

Very good photos Alex thanks for posting. It's always good to see where your food REALLY comes from.

Cheers

James

I was only there for two days, one top side, one underwater. Looking for purse seiners in the Pacific is literally like looking for needle in a haystack. You have to go to where you think the fish may be, inter tropical convergence zone, etc. And time ran out for me, so this is all I could get, but I think had I been there for longer, I don't think the images would have been that much more different to what I already got, so no regrets there.

Anyway, thanks to all for all the positive comments.

On a different topic, today's post is about a horrible algal bloom and plastic pollution mess that I came across in the same area north of the Galapagos Islands.

http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/node/2272

Alex

Thanks, Alex! So I made the right decision to abstain from tunas...

The algae bloom is disgusting...

Can somebody (marine biologist or anyone knowledgeable abt these things) tell me whether throwing fruits (banana skin etc, most bio-degradeable stuff) overboard is bad for the ocean or not? I personally don't do that because I don't like the idea of introducing more "foreign" objects into the ocean but find it difficult to argue the case...