December 3rd, 2010; Again the team went north, travelling with the Harpoon fishing fleet has brought interest and delight of local fishermen. Joining the crew on board we have been able to share the excitement about harpooning marlin. Advice is passed about appropriate weather condition and how to prepare ourselves for a day on the ocean. Warm breakfast also ensures energy for the day. The wind in Chenggong was howling throughout the previous night. Prepared for waves and rain, we climbed aboard. Preparing the modified harpoon with our tags the boats left the harbor at sun-up.
The caudal fin for marlin is distinctive. As a fish recuperates after deep diving or, possibly, just enjoying the sun’s warming light, marlin come to the surface for brief periods. This is the opportunity harpooners are looking for; a slender, ribbed fin extended above the surface of the water. Amidst the whitecaps and waves it is exceedingly difficult to spot, however each vessel has four men plus the captain continuously scanning the surrounding water for a glimpse of the fin. Today, one crew is stationed on the bow, as the swell is greater than 3m, sometimes he is almost level with elevated viewing deck and then, as the wave passes, he is plummeted down as if to disappear under water. The waves spray and the occasional rain means we all get wet. So thankful for adequate wet weather gear!
Spotting a fin, a cry goes out, “There, there, there!!!” The engine is revved up, a cloud of diesel smoke bellows and the chase is on! The visible fin disappears and reappears as the fish seemingly evades the boat. The captain quickly assumes his position at the bow, harpoon in hand. His first mate, the left harpooner, picks up his harpoon and a third crew, the director, join them on the bow. A skilled driver positions the boat at the hand signals and further calls for the prized fish. Working together as a team, the highly maneuverable water craft follows the twisting and turning of the fish. A lure is thrown by the captain, timing the ascent of the marlin to the bait with his harpoon, a successful tag will pierce the marlin’s body. Two anchors secure themselves between the fin and a vertebra, fastening the tag and the harpoon pole is extracted.
Saturday November 27, 2010, our tagging trip had already been delayed one day due to rough weather however Riyar, Mr. Hsu, Xin Zja, James and Matthew set out at 4 am to travel 60km north to meet the Harpoon fleet. During this time of year the fleet traditional migrate north in search of Black Marlin. The interest of International Scientific Council for Tuna and Tuna like Species has provided 30 Archival Satellite Tags investigating marlin and sailfish movement in the North-Western Pacific. The added expertise of local fishing captain, Yung Fu has enhanced global appreciation of this species. The scientific study is set out to gain as much information into the routes these large pelagic predators take during annual movement.
In Taitung it is apparent the fish move northward with the Kuroshiro current. The value of having more and more tracks and data from the fish’s behavior allows scientists to create a better understanding of animals living in the ocean. Scientists look for patterns in the movement to gather species characteristics’, such as hunting during the day or diving to deeper depths at night. More tags creates more individuals for comparison, do the adult fish visit the same places the younger fish go, are the younger fish staying in different areas longer? The results begin to influence fishing and sustainability decisions. Therefore, the more evidence that the fish behave in a particular manner, the more scientists can estimate the effects of climate change, the effects of overfishing or the effects of protection and conservation.
Meeting Yung Fu and his brother-in-law, we ate breakfast, carefully prepared the harpoon with our tags and waited the 10 or so minutes for the sun to rise.
At dawn we set out through the harbor to what was appearing to be a fantastic day.
