# How a Centuries-Old Maldivian Tradition Could Keep Tuna Around for the Future

> Pole-and-line fishing spares the ocean from bycatch, the accidental catch of unwanted species. Discover how an age-old Maldivian tradition keeps tuna around for the future.

- URL: https://langandtrip.com.ua/en/article/yak-tradytsiya-na-maldiva/
- Language: en
- Published: 2022-10-14
- Categories: News, Animals, Culture, Maldives, Food & Drinks, Seas & Oceans

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A group of Maldivian fishermen line up along the stern of their boat. Casting their poles and barbless hooks into the water, they lure the fish in by scattering tiny baitfish across the surface. The trick is to create the illusion of prey for the tuna.

This method is known as pole-and-line fishing. Some believe it originated in the Maldives, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, and has been passed down from generation to generation over the centuries.

The moment they feel a bite, the fishermen swing the pole over their heads and the fish drops onto the deck behind them. They repeat this technique for hours, catching one fish at a time.

"Fishing with a pole and line is very different from casting nets or netting fish," says Hamid Abdulla, a Maldivian fisherman. "We fish with a pole because we want this to last for as long as possible."

"This is what my family has done for many generations," he adds. "Ever since the days of my ancestors, it has been our livelihood."

## Protecting the Tuna

Maldivians catch nearly 100,000 tonnes of tuna a year, and the fish is the country's largest export. To safeguard this food source, the Maldives encourages people to use every kind of sustainable fishing.

Pole-and-line fishing helps eliminate bycatch, the accidental capture of unwanted fish species, which can become a huge problem with other fishing methods. "When you cast a net, it takes everything indiscriminately, no matter the species or size," says Abdulla. "Pole-and-line fishing catches fish one at a time."

The global fishing industry is vital to food security, but overfishing and excessive bycatch threaten marine life and disrupt ecosystems. Around the world, more than 7 million metric tonnes of tuna and tuna-like species are caught every year. In 2018, the tuna fishery was worth at least 40 billion dollars, yet according to the WWF, most tuna stocks are already fully exploited and some could end up facing extinction.

Experts say encouraging pole-and-line fishing would be better for the environment, but the method has not become widespread because it is labour-intensive, demanding manpower, skill and time.

Still, many Maldivians are determined to preserve this tradition. "When you're out at sea for about a week, I don't dwell on it, because I'm passionate about it," says Abdulla. "My heart and soul are in this."

"Right now we have plenty of young people showing an interest in fishing," he adds. "I love that, because this is what my parents and my ancestors did."