Maldives - Indian Ocean - Traditional line-caught tuna fishing

brief title

Fishermen from the Maldives haul aboard a yellow fin tuna to the deck of a dhoni boat in the Indian Ocean. The tuna has been swimming across the Indian Ocean non-stop since birth but after being dragged up with hooks, the 50kg fish will be clubbed to death by smashing its skull with repeated blows. Next it will be gutted efficiently with sharp knives and immediately plunged into ice containers to cool the flesh, reducing the risk of self-deteriorating flushed blood which renders it unfit for consumption under EU law (its live internal core temperature is 40 degrees centigrade). When as many fish have been caught before dark using hand and line method, rather than nets, the boat presses on to the processing factory at Himmafushi where they're filleted and boxed for export to Europe and in particular, for UK supermarkets like Sainsbury's.

Add to Cart Add to Lightbox Download

Filename: maldives298-14-11-2007.jpg
Copyright: Richard Baker
Image Size: 5315x3505 / 1.3MB; Richard Baker reportage photojournalism environmental issues economics economy financial finance health relationships social issues transportation transport work Maldives Indian Ocean Islamic Muslim Republic state country island remote planet cultural fishing tuna yellow fin sea ocean trade business marine boat expedition trip navigation work force fishermen livelihood career job employees prospects expectation catch fisheries vessel sea-going ship dhoni at sea on-board crew voyage journey efficiency speed surface by sea commerce industry water Thunnus Albacares outlying fish aquatic seafood marine tropical caught dragged landed traditional deck inhumane cruelty killing slaughter cull fisherman hooked line caught dolphin-friendly labour labor slog salary wage kill death workforce hooks haul drag pulling aboard alive line manual labour fishery occupation Thunnus albacaraes Thunus albacaraes nutrition diet nutritional nutritious
Contained in galleries: Richard Baker - All pics

Fishermen from the Maldives haul aboard a yellow fin tuna to the deck of a dhoni boat in the Indian Ocean. The tuna has been swimming across the Indian Ocean non-stop since birth but after being dragged up with hooks, the 50kg fish will be clubbed to death by smashing its skull with repeated blows. Next it will be gutted efficiently with sharp knives and immediately plunged into ice containers to cool the flesh, reducing the risk of self-deteriorating flushed blood which renders it unfit for consumption under EU law (its live internal core temperature is 40 degrees centigrade). When as many fish have been caught before dark using hand and line method, rather than nets, the boat presses on to the processing factory at Himmafushi where they're filleted and boxed for export to Europe and in particular, for UK supermarkets like Sainsbury's.