Pole and Line Fishery

A pole-and-line fishery is a one-fish-per-hook tuna fishery in which crew catch skipjack and albacore on barbless hooks attached to poles, often while chumming with live baitfish and a water spray to keep the school in a feeding frenzy. It is among the most selective tuna methods, with near-zero bycatch of sharks, turtles, and juveniles compared with FAD purse-seine sets, which is why much pole-and-line tuna carries Marine Stewardship Council certification. The trade-off is low catch volume per vessel and dependence on a reliable live-bait supply, so it serves premium and sustainability-labeled markets rather than bulk canning.