pole-and-line fishing

Pole-and-line fishing is a method used to catch fish, particularly young tuna species like bluefin, yellowfin, albacore, skipjack, and bonito. This technique involves using a pole, typically made of bamboo and ranging from two to ten meters in length, with a line of similar length attached to its tip. Barbless hooks are used to make baiting and removing fish easier.12

To attract fish, live bait is thrown overboard, which is kept alive in special tanks on the vessel. This method requires a significant amount of bait, with about 100 kilograms of live bait needed to catch one ton of tuna. Fishing is conducted during the day from slow-moving boats, and water is sprayed to attract the fish and camouflage the boat and crew. Specialized boat designs, such as those with long bows and low sides, are used to accommodate the angling crew and simplify hauling in the catch.1