After the success of quotas, “responsible” fishing in Sète to preserve bluefin tuna populations in the Mediterranean

2024-10-23 07:57:00

REPORTAGE – Scientists and NGOs help fishermen limit bycatch.

(Special correspondent to Sète)

First the click. Then the characteristic sound of the reel, recognizable among a thousand. Suddenly the line recovers and the struggle to bring the tuna to the surface begins. It’s barely 7 in the morning, the first light of day waters the environment Mary IIIKevin Henri’s boat. The day will be short. Wind and strong swells are forecast for this afternoon in the bay of Sétoise (Hérault).

The boat normally stays at sea for 12 hours, before leaving early the next day. Twelve hours standing, on alert, observing the birds to chase the schools of sardines, monitoring on the radar the behavior of the tuna that play with the bait, but do not systematically bite. Sometimes, after the click, the sound of the roller is different. It wasn’t a tuna, but a skate or blue shark. In this case, Kevin cuts the hook line while the fish is still in the water.

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Quota policy

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