Tuna Fisheries in Indonesia Go Eco-Friendly

Tuna industries in Indonesia are turning to friendly fishing. The world tuna industry has been widely blamed for killing endangered sea life, such as turtles, sharks and sea birds.
The sea-life killing culprits are the longline and purse seine nets they use. The nets drag and dredge the sea bed, taking everything along with the prized tuna, a staple in most menus.

However, the Nutrindo fishery in Bitung, North Sulawesi in Indonesia is using the hand line rather than longline in their 25 boats for two weeks to one month.

Fishery owner Hartono Tjandrason says the reason he chose the handline was to avoid catching in sealife except for tuna.

[Hartono Tjandrason, Fishery Owner]:
“In this fishing industry, we need development sustainability, resources sustainability. So, without resources we would not have development. We have to maintain this circle.

His fishery exports a ton of yellow fin tuna to Japan daily and some 100 tons to United States a month.

Bas Zaunbrecher, of ANOVA, a Netherlands-based tuna fishery that operates in Bali’s waters says most of his customers in Japan and the U.S. demand environmentally friendly seafood products.

[Bas Zaunbrecher, ANOVA]:
“More and more of our customers they require fish from sustainable sources. So it is actually a must for the future and also if things are not being controlled properly in the future, we will not have any resources anymore to buy our product from.

His company’s long line of fleets have replaced traditional J-shaped hooks, which fish and turtles tend to swallow, with various sizes of circular hooks.

Endangered sea turtles accidentally caught by fishermen off Indonesia’s sea coasts usually die, but innovative hooks that are too big to swallow are increasingly saving the reptiles’ lives.

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