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Document: ISSF 2018-06: Characterizing Small and Medium Scale Tuna Purse Seine and Ring Net Vessels in Indonesia


The majority of tropical tuna landings result from free school or drifting fish aggregating devices (dFAD) fishing effort by fleets operating high-tech industrial-scale vessels in Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of tuna-rich countries and the high seas.

One notable exception is Indonesia, which is one of the principal tuna producers worldwide despite having primarily an artisanal and semi-industrial fleet that utilizes anchored FADs (aFADs) within its Western Pacific and Eastern Indian Ocean EEZs.

Purse seine is the principal gear type for tuna catches in Indonesia, consisting of a variety of sizes and types of ringnet and surround net vessels that operate in Indonesian waters for which little literature exists.

Understanding the technical characteristics, target species and fishing operations for each seine vessel class is necessary for better evaluation of fisheries impacts, more precise stock assessment and development of relevant harvest and bycatch mitigation practices. This document provides insight into the technical and operational details of the diverse range of Indonesian tuna purse seine boats and fisheries operating in the Indian and Western Pacific Ocean.

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