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Katja Hamilton
The crucial role of fisheries observers in sustainable deep-sea management
Scientific observation is essential for assessing fish stock health and informing management decisions. The data collected on catches and discards aids in the recovery of deep-sea fish stocks, protecting marine ecosystems and supporting fishing communities.
Image supplied. Credit: Manoj Nawoor
The importance of data collection
The work of fisheries observers is critical in managing deep-sea fisheries. Keith Reid points out that observers provide the data needed to assess the health of fish stocks and the environmental impact of bottom fishing. This information is essential for making informed decisions on sustainable catch levels and reducing the environmental impact of deep-sea fishing.
Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Common Oceans Deep-sea Fisheries project promotes responsible fisheries management and biodiversity conservation in the high seas. Since the 1990s, voluntary guidelines and stronger regional cooperation have helped reduce the environmental impact of deep-sea fishing.
From reef fishing to fisheries observation
Fishing is the only way of life in the village where Fijian sailor, Saiasi Sarau, grew up, catching reef fish to feed his family before entering maritime school.
After graduating, he worked his way up to become a captain before moving to the Cook Islands to work as a fisheries observer.
Once a year, Sarau travels to Mauritius to monitor the fishing activities of trawler F/V Will Watch, a Cook Islands-flagged vessel that plies the waters of the southern Indian Ocean in search of deep-sea species like alfonsino and orange roughy.
"My job is to collect scientific data to help manage these fisheries," Sarau says. Fishing trips can take as long as ten weeks at sea, during which time Sarau keeps records on catch and bycatch and collects biological data about the fish caught. There's some bird watching too—he monitors seabird interactions to prevent entanglements.
A vital role in sustainable fisheries management
This time, Sarau is in Mauritius for another reason. He has joined a workshop on scientific observation in deep-sea fisheries, alongside twenty peers from countries around the Indian Ocean, including China, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Thailand.
They are learning to follow standard operating procedures for monitoring fishing activities onboard the F/V Klondyke, a Mauritian vessel preparing for its next trip.
Isaac Forster, a biologist with the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, trains the group on how standardisation and independence in data collection are critical to ensuring the quality and usefulness of the information gathered.
Keith Reid, a fisheries expert, highlights the importance of observers in understanding the impact of fishing on the ecosystem.
On the frontlines of marine conservation
In the afternoon, the workshop moves to the Albion Fisheries Research Centre, where participants observe a demonstration of biological data collection.
The scientific officer weighs and measures a spangled emperor fish, assessing its reproductive maturity and age. Sarau and his peers watch intently, understanding the importance of this data in making informed management decisions.
Lana Gabriel, an electronic monitoring officer from Seychelles, shares her experience of being an observer at sea, noting that despite being a woman in a male-dominated field, she never faced any discrimination. She now works onshore, but she misses the hands-on experience of being at sea, especially after having a baby.
Sarau shares similar sentiments, acknowledging the challenge of being away from his family for extended periods. His three-year-old son eagerly waits for him to return, often asking, "When can we go fishing, just like Dad?"
