American Samoa’s American Samoa’s AliaAlia Longline Fishery Longline Fishery

Paul BartramPaul BartramJohn KanekoJohn KanekoPacMar, Inc.PacMar, Inc.

Part No. 1: Profile Highliner Alia Part No. 1: Profile Highliner Alia Operation, 10/03-11/04Operation, 10/03-11/04

Crew and Community Crew and Community AumagaAumaga Collected DataCollected Data

Gear Configuration of a highliner in the Gear Configuration of a highliner in the American Samoa small-scale (alia) albacore American Samoa small-scale (alia) albacore

fishery between Oct. 2004 and Sept. 2004fishery between Oct. 2004 and Sept. 2004

159159Number of setsNumber of sets

00Mean number of lightsticksMean number of lightsticks

3131Mean number of hooks between Mean number of hooks between floatsfloats

pilchards (pilikaki)pilchards (pilikaki)Type of baitType of bait

14/0, 15/0 circle14/0, 15/0 circleType of hooksType of hooks

412412Mean number of hooks per setMean number of hooks per set

1010Mean length of Mainline (miles)Mean length of Mainline (miles)

American Samoa small-scale (American Samoa small-scale (aliaalia) albacore ) albacore fishery between Oct. 2004 and Sept. 2004fishery between Oct. 2004 and Sept. 2004

00303303Number of light sticksNumber of light sticks

65,43665,436170,065170,065Number of hooks setNumber of hooks set

159159623623Number of setsNumber of sets

159159539539Number of tripsNumber of trips

Contracted alia Contracted alia (SW4)(SW4)

Alia Fleet Alia Fleet ActivityActivity

Fishing Practices of a highliner in the American Fishing Practices of a highliner in the American Samoa small-scale (alia) albacore fishery Samoa small-scale (alia) albacore fishery

between Oct. 2003 – Sept. 2004between Oct. 2003 – Sept. 2004

159159Number of setsNumber of sets8.88.8Mean number of hooks lost per setMean number of hooks lost per set

19:1019:10Mean time hauling completedMean time hauling completed16:4116:41Mean time hauling startedMean time hauling started

9 hrs 19 min9 hrs 19 minMean soak time Mean soak time (from end of setting to start of hauling)(from end of setting to start of hauling)

07:3307:33Mean time setting completedMean time setting completed

06:1406:14Mean time setting startedMean time setting started

Catch Composition of a highliner in the American Catch Composition of a highliner in the American Samoa small-scale (alia) albacore fishery between Samoa small-scale (alia) albacore fishery between

Oct. 2003 – Sept. 2004Oct. 2003 – Sept. 2004

40,81140,8111,0541,05431.9931.9940,82440,8241,0541,054Tuna Tuna SubtotalSubtotal

0000000000KawakawaKawakawa

1,3861,386838316.8616.861,3991,3998383SkipjackSkipjack

1,7071,707272763.2263.221,7071,7072727BigeyeBigeye

13,92713,92735035039.9139.9113,92713,927350350YellowfinYellowfin

23,79123,79159459439.9839.9823,79123,791594594AlbacoreAlbacore

Wt.* Wt.* KeptKept

No. No. KeptKept

Mean Mean Wt.*Wt.*

Wt.*Wt.*No. of No. of FishFish

SpeciesSpecies

Wt. = weight in pounds (lb)

Catch Composition of a highliner in the American Samoa small-scale Catch Composition of a highliner in the American Samoa small-scale ((aliaalia) albacore fishery between Oct. 2003 – Sept. 2004) albacore fishery between Oct. 2003 – Sept. 2004

19819822999919819822Striped MarlinStriped Marlin

3,8103,81012012030.0730.073,8103,810138138Other PPMUS SubtotalOther PPMUS Subtotal

0000000000Dogtooth TunaDogtooth Tuna0000000000Thresher SharkThresher Shark

NWNW00NWNWNWNW55Longfin MakoLongfin MakoNWNW00NWNWNWNW1010Shortfin MakoShortfin MakoNWNW00NWNWNWNW33Blue SharkBlue Shark0000000000Oceanic White Tip SharkOceanic White Tip Shark0000000000SpearfishSpearfish0000000000SailfishSailfish

0000000000Black MarlinBlack Marlin753753101075.375.37537531010Blue MarlinBlue Marlin1051051110510510510511SwordfishSwordfish

1,2841,284505025.6825.681,2841,2845050WahooWahoo1,4701,470575725.7925.791,4701,4705757MahimahiMahimahi

Wt. KeptWt. Kept(lb)(lb)

No. KeptNo. KeptMean Wt.Mean Wt.(lb)(lb)

Wt.Wt.(lb)(lb)

No. of FishNo. of FishSpeciesSpecies

NW = not weighed

Catch Composition of a highliner in the American Samoa Catch Composition of a highliner in the American Samoa small-scale (small-scale (aliaalia) albacore fishery between Oct. 2003 – ) albacore fishery between Oct. 2003 –

Sept. 2004Sept. 2004

751751272718.4818.487517512727Misc. SubtotalMisc. Subtotal

0000000000Pelagic stingrayPelagic stingray

0000000000Snake MackerelSnake Mackerel

0000000000LancetfishLancetfish

1611618820.120.116116188PomfretPomfret

0000000000OilfishOilfish

31431433104.7104.731431433MoonfishMoonfish

5511555511Rainbow RunnerRainbow Runner

271271151518.0718.072712711515Great BarracudaGreat Barracuda

Wt. KeptWt. Kept(lb)(lb)

No. KeptNo. KeptMean Wt.Mean Wt.(lb)(lb)

Wt.Wt.(lb)(lb)

No. of No. of FishFish

SpeciesSpecies

Catch Composition of a highliner in the Catch Composition of a highliner in the American Samoa small-scale (American Samoa small-scale (aliaalia) albacore ) albacore

fishery between Oct. 2003 – Sept. 2004fishery between Oct. 2003 – Sept. 2004

45,37245,3721,201*1,201*26.6226.6245,38545,3851,2191,219Total Total PelagicsPelagics

Wt. Wt. KeptKept(lb)(lb)

No. No. KeptKept

Mean Mean Wt.Wt.(lb)(lb)

Wt.Wt.(lb)(lb)

No. of No. of FishFish

SpeciesSpecies

*Eighteen (18) sharks were caught but not retained.

Catch per unit effort (1,000 hooks) of a highliner in the American Samoa Catch per unit effort (1,000 hooks) of a highliner in the American Samoa small-scale (alia) albacore fishery between Oct. 2003 – Sept. 2004small-scale (alia) albacore fishery between Oct. 2003 – Sept. 2004

697.9697.918.8418.84TOTAL PELAGICSTOTAL PELAGICS

7.8417.8410.4180.418Misc. SubtotalMisc. Subtotal

2.492.490.1240.124PomfretPomfret

4.8564.8560.0460.046MoonfishMoonfish

0.0770.0770.0150.015Rainbow RunnerRainbow Runner

NWNW0.0770.077Longfin MakoLongfin Mako

215.4215.45.4135.413Yellowfin tunaYellowfin tuna

3683689.1879.187Albacore tunaAlbacore tuna

1.6241.6240.0150.015SwordfishSwordfish

NWNW0.1550.155Shortfin MakoShortfin Mako

26.426.40.4180.418Bigeye TunaBigeye Tuna

631.2631.216.2916.29Tuna SubtotalTuna Subtotal

19.8619.860.7730.773WahooWahoo

11.6511.650.1550.155Blue MarlinBlue Marlin

3.0623.0620.0310.031Striped MarlinStriped Marlin

NWNW0.0460.046Blue SharkBlue Shark

58.9458.942.1342.134Other PPMUS SubtotalOther PPMUS Subtotal

Wt. fish (lb) per 1,000 hooksWt. fish (lb) per 1,000 hooksNo. of fish per 1,000 hooksNo. of fish per 1,000 hooksSpeciesSpecies

21.4421.441.2681.268SkipjackSkipjack

0.4180.4180.2320.232Great BarracudaGreat Barracuda

22.7422.740.8820.882MahimahiMahimahi

*No. of hooks for CPUE calculations = 64,658

Catch status at retrieval of a highliner in the American Samoa small-scale (alia) Catch status at retrieval of a highliner in the American Samoa small-scale (alia) albacore fishery between Oct. 2003 – Sept. 2004albacore fishery between Oct. 2003 – Sept. 2004

9.19.1

14.814.8

12.512.5

00

00

2020

11.611.6

6060

3030

100100

00

00

00

44

8.88.8

8.68.6

00

11.111.1

4.64.6

12.112.1

% Alive% Alive

90.990.91,2191,219TOTAL PELAGICSTOTAL PELAGICS

85.285.22727Misc. SubtotalMisc. Subtotal

87.587.588PomfretPomfret

10010033MoonfishMoonfish

10010011Rainbow RunnerRainbow Runner

404055Longfin Mako*Longfin Mako*

95.495.4350350Yellowfin tunaYellowfin tuna

87.987.9594594Albacore tunaAlbacore tuna

10010011SwordfishSwordfish

70701010Shortfin Mako*Shortfin Mako*

88.988.92727Bigeye TunaBigeye Tuna

91.491.41,0541,054Tuna SubtotalTuna Subtotal

96965050WahooWahoo

1001001010Blue MarlinBlue Marlin

10010022Striped MarlinStriped Marlin

0033Blue Shark*Blue Shark*

88.488.4138138Other PPMUS SubtotalOther PPMUS Subtotal

% Dead% DeadNNSpeciesSpecies

1001008383SkipjackSkipjack

80801515Great BarracudaGreat Barracuda

91.291.25757MahimahiMahimahi

*For sharks: “not injured” = alive, “injured” included with dead fish.

Length-Weight Relationship of the catch produced by a highliner in the American Samoa Length-Weight Relationship of the catch produced by a highliner in the American Samoa small-scale (alia) albacore fishery between Oct. 2003 – Sept. 2004small-scale (alia) albacore fishery between Oct. 2003 – Sept. 2004

6363

112.7112.7

6262

81.7381.73

170170

142142

150150

112.5112.5

106.8106.8

65.3665.36

102.3102.3

94.4494.44

87.7987.79

Mean Length Mean Length (cm)(cm)

20.1320.13

25.6825.68

55

18.0718.07

9999

75.375.3

105105

25.6825.68

25.7925.79

16.8616.86

63.2263.22

39.9139.91

39.9839.98

Mean Wt. Mean Wt. (lb)(lb)

1,2011,201TOTAL PELAGICSTOTAL PELAGICS

2727Misc. SubtotalMisc. Subtotal

3.133.1388PomfretPomfret

4.3894.38933MoonfishMoonfish

12.412.411Rainbow RunnerRainbow Runner

2.3662.366350350Yellowfin tunaYellowfin tuna

2.1962.196594594Albacore tunaAlbacore tuna

1.4291.42911SwordfishSwordfish

1.6181.6182727Bigeye TunaBigeye Tuna

1,0541,054Tuna SubtotalTuna Subtotal

4.3814.3815050WahooWahoo

1.8861.8861010Blue MarlinBlue Marlin

1.7171.71722Striped MarlinStriped Marlin

120120Other PPMUS SubtotalOther PPMUS Subtotal

L/W RatioL/W RatioNNSpeciesSpecies

3.8543.8548383SkipjackSkipjack

4.5234.5231515Great BarracudaGreat Barracuda

4.1414.1415757MahimahiMahimahi

Albacore Tuna CPUE

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

Oct.03

Nov.03

Dec.03

Jan.0

4

Feb.04

Mar.04

Apr.04

May.04

Jun.0

4Ju

l.04

Aug.04

Months

No.

of f

ish/

1,00

0 ho

oks

CPUE

Weight Frequency of Albacore Tuna

0

50

100

150

200

250

25-27 28-30 31-33 34-36 37-39 40-42 43-45 46-48 49-51 52-54 55-57 >=58

Weight Class (pounds)

Freq.

NONO SEA TURTLE TAKES DURING SEA TURTLE TAKES DURING PROJECT PERIODPROJECT PERIOD

Part No. 2: Live vs. Dead Part No. 2: Live vs. Dead AlbacoreAlbacore

Longline albacore typically landed dead or Longline albacore typically landed dead or dying.dying.

Do alia fishing methods increase % Do alia fishing methods increase % albacore retrieved alive?albacore retrieved alive?

Can alia fishing methods be modified to Can alia fishing methods be modified to increase % albacore retrieved alive?increase % albacore retrieved alive?

Albacore Swim Bladder Fragile, Albacore Swim Bladder Fragile, Easily RupturedEasily Ruptured

F.X. Bard and E. Josse. 1996. Peculiarity of swimming bladder of large albacore ( F.X. Bard and E. Josse. 1996. Peculiarity of swimming bladder of large albacore (Thunnus Thunnus alalungaalalunga) caught by longline. South pacific albacore research, 6) caught by longline. South pacific albacore research, 6thth meeting. meeting.

Alia Line Retrieval is Alia Line Retrieval is Manual and SlowManual and Slow

Small Increase in % Albacore Alive - Small Increase in % Albacore Alive - Alia Longline MethodAlia Longline Method

Alia methods marginally improve Alia methods marginally improve survivability – 12% retrieved alivesurvivability – 12% retrieved alive

Hooks per setHooks per set 400/set for alia400/set for alia 3000/set for large samoa longliners3000/set for large samoa longliners

Rate of line retrievalRate of line retrieval 80 hooks/hr for alia80 hooks/hr for alia 250 hooks/hr for mechanized retrieval250 hooks/hr for mechanized retrieval

Fishermen’s Knowledge Applied Fishermen’s Knowledge Applied to Increase Live % to Increase Live %

Set around full moon (esp. June and July)Set around full moon (esp. June and July) Albacore shallowerAlbacore shallower

Patrol mainline after settingPatrol mainline after setting Retrieve live fishRetrieve live fish

Start haul at start of setStart haul at start of set More soak time for last hooks setMore soak time for last hooks set

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTSDaiana S Aitaoto, Data ProcessingDaiana S Aitaoto, Data Processing

Elvin (Eo) Mokoma, Southwind 4 ownerElvin (Eo) Mokoma, Southwind 4 ownerSouthwind 4 Crew and Pago Pago Village aumagaSouthwind 4 Crew and Pago Pago Village aumaga

Francesca Riolo, American Samoa DMWR GIS SpecialistFrancesca Riolo, American Samoa DMWR GIS SpecialistEmmanuel Tardy, DMWR BiologistEmmanuel Tardy, DMWR Biologist