News of commercial and domestic fishing in the waters of the Tristan da Cunha archipelago.

Kieran Glass to make Ocean Pledge at New York UNESCO event

Tristan Islander travels to New York for World Ocean Day representing the Gough and Inaccessible Island World Heritage Site
5-Jun-2017
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Geo-Searcher arrives at Tristan for the first time

The new Ovenstone fishing vessel Geo-Searcher arrives at Tristan on its maiden voyage and starts trial fishing.
18-Apr-2017
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New fish species found

Report and photo from Ovenstones Factory Manager Erik MacKenzie

Erik MacKenzie landed two previously unknown fish species when fishing from Calshot Harbour on 5th March 2017. Head of Fisheries James Glass has sent both specimens to South Africa for identification.

A crew member on the Geo-Searcher, Gary McFarlane, has provided a likely identification of the larger fish which he thinks is black ruff fish (Centrolophus niger). The black ruff (also commonly called rudderfdish or blackfish) is the only member of the genus Centrolophus and is found in many tropical and temperate oceans at depths between 50-1000 metres. This is probably the first confirmed record for Tristan da Cunha.  


Erik has had no positive identification for the eel, but reports on 22nd March that similar eels are now seen regularly in the harbour at night. We hope to update this story as more is known.

Photo shows Erik MacKenzie holding the larger fish and Shannon Swain with the smaller eel-like fish
which are awaiting identification.

 

2016/17 Fishing Season Update

Report from Erik Mackenzie 6th March 2017

2016-17 Fishing Season Update

There are only 8.2 tonnes left to catch of the 120 tonne Tristan fishing quota, and it is expected that this will be achieved in 4 or 5 days more fishing days. As expected for this time of year the average daily landings have dropped so it is difficult to say how many days are actually required. Compared to last year there have been six more fishing days with an average in excess of 1000 kg per day. Last year was 23 days for 65 tonnes (average 2.8 tonnes) and so far this year it is 29 days for 112 tonnes (average 3.8 tonnes).

This was largely as a result of good results from September - November which were much improved compared to the previous two years. The results are very encouraging and can hopefully be repeated or exceeded during the next season.

Production in the factory continues to operate well on those days when we have product available.

View from the 1961 volcano over the red roofs of St Mary's School and The Residency
looking towards the large white-roofed Tristan Fishing Factory.

New factory Management

New manager Clinton da Bod will take over management of the Tristan Fish Factory in April when he arrives with his fiancée on the inaugural MV Geo-Searcher voyage, scheduled to depart from Cape Town on 27th March. Erik will join MV Geo Searcher to do the fishing on the vessel at Inaccessible and Gough Islands. Geo-Searcher takes over from MV Edinburgh as Ovenstone’s principal outer-islands fishing vessel and this end of season trip will provide a trial for the vessel, which has been converted to a fishing ship. A small quantity of lobster has been left in the water at these islands by MV Edinburgh to provide a realistic trial before the newly acquired vessel returns for the ‘big season’ in August.

Erik will have a continuing role leading the fishing operation aboard MV Geo-Searcher and is also expected to spend time on shore at Tristan to complete a handover to Clinton as he settles in to the job of managing the factory.

Erik says that ‘It's going to be tough leaving after such a long time here, but I hope the new guy settles in and enjoys his time here as much as I have.’

Editor’s Note

Erik arrived on Tristan da Cunha as Factory Manager in August 2005 and has steered the industry through a 2005 pay dispute, the 2008 factory fire, building of the new factory, the 2011 Oliva disaster, Marine Stewardship Accreditation and gaining access to EU markets. He may be the longest serving expatriate to have lived and worked on the island. It is good to know that Erik’s new role will continue his long and successful association with the Ovenstone fishing operation at the Tristan da Cunha Islands

School Visit to the Tristan Fish Factory

St Mary's School Class 3 visit the island's fish factory on as part of their geography studies
28-Feb-2017
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Expedition returns to Tristan da Cunha to report on its work

SVS Grenville returns to Tristan da for the final few days of the National Geographic Expedition to the islands.
2-Feb-2017
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MV Edinburgh arrives at Tristan

MV Edinburgh's first 2017 trip departs from Cape Town on 14th January
23-Jan-2017
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MV Geo-Searcher departs Poland for Cape Town

Ovenstones new fishing vessel MV Geo-Searcher makes its w3ay from Poland to South Africa.
23-Dec-2016
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Stamp issue: Biodiversity Part I

Stamps illustrating the Tristan Group's biodiversity - Part I: Six species endemic to the islands.
30-Nov-2016
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Chief Islander visits new fishing vessel Geo-Searcher in Poland

Ian Lavarello visited the shipyard in Gdansk where the MV Geo Searcher is being refitted for use at Tristan.
29-Nov-2016
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Page Updated: Tristan da Cunha MFV Geo Searcher News

The MFV Geo-Searcher replaced the MFV Edinburgh as Tristan's main fishing vessel in 2017, but was wrecked of Gough in October 2020.
29-Nov-2016
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Fishing Season Update on 23rd November 2016

Update from Factory Manager Erik MacKenzie

Weather seems to be against us now, and it looks unlikely we will have further landings prior to departure of Baltic Trader with our current production on board. This season so far is all good news with 64% of quota already in the bag at an impressive average daily landing of 4535 kg. For comparison, last year this time we had landed only 42 tons on 16 days for an average of 2670 kg per day. The number of days has not been great at only 17 so far in 5 months, but at least we have had productive fishing days in the traditionally good months of September, October and November which we have not really had for the last couple of years.

Production has been good and we have been packing two different presentation types of Sashimi product as well as the usual raw and cooked whole frozen lobster and frozen tails. Quality of the lobster has been great this season so far and we can only hope that when the water starts warming up, as is usual for this time of year, the lobster continue to feed. Break-up is late this year on 21st December so we might still get a few more fishing days before year end and with only 42 tonnes left to catch this season we would hope that January and February might get us very close to completion of quota.

New fishing vessel MV Geo Searcher acquired by Ovenstone

Ovenstones have announced the acquisition of the MV Geo-Searcher, and the withdrawal from service of MV Baltic Trader.
25-Oct-2016
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200th Anniversary Plaque presented to the Edinburgh crew

Report and photos from Administrator Alex Mitham

On the 15th September 2016, The Chief Islander Ian Lavarello, Conrad Glass and I went across to the MV Edinburgh to present a plaque to Captain Clarence and the crew of the Edinburgh. To mark the 200th Anniversary, the community felt it was only fitting to show their appreciation for all the years of tireless support the crew has given to Tristan da Cunha.

From their ongoing assistance to the community, medevac transfers, their skilled rescue of the Oliva crew, their support on marine conservation matters, to their obvious (and renowned) fishing expertise, Captain Clarence and the crew have shown unbelievable kindness and generosity to Tristan over so many years. They are firmly a part of the remotest inhabited community in the world.

On a personal note it has not only been an honour to sail with the Edinburgh, but a privilege to witness the professionalism, dedication and commitment of the crew. As the plaque states - As the ocean is never full of water, so is the heart never full of love; thank you, god bless and safe sailing.

Photos show:
Above: Captain Clarence with Alex Mitham
on the bridge of MV Edinburgh;
Right: Chief Islander Ian Lavarello
presenting Captain Clarence with the plaque;
Below: The plaque.

Early Season Report from Tristan's Head of Fisheries

James Glass on 27th July 2016

Photos taken by James of scenes as the fishing boat 'Kingfisher' was launched on the first fishing day on 25th July 2016

The first fishing day for the 2016-17 season, was on the 25th July.

There was a later start to the season (with a possibility of three fishing days lost) due to the factory having to do maintenance on the freezers. The first day's landing on 25th July was 4.9mt of lobster, which was more than was landed on any day last season, with Kevin and Shaun being the top boat landing 1400lbs.

The Total Allowable Catch for the Tristan da Cunha Islands was discussed at the 338th meeting of Island Council and the following was approved;

Inaccessible 81 Tonnes; Gough 110 Tonnes; Tristan to remain at 120 Tonnes

Nightingale TAC of 75 MT, it was agreed that a similar precautionary approach that was implemented for the previous two years should be followed, i.e. set the TAC at 70 MT when the season starts, and increased to 75 MT if the Catch Per Unit Effort is above the three year average prior to the wreck of the Oliva. An Operational Management Plan for Nightingale will be developed for use in setting the 2017/18 TAC. Total TAC = 386 tonnes