In pole-and-line fishing, tuna are caught one-by-one using a hook attached to a line and pole.
Pole-and-line fisheries operate around the world, and can be technologically advanced commercial operations or more artisanal in nature.
The major pole-and-line producers are Japan (100,000 tons annually), Indonesia (90,000 tons) and the Maldives (76,000 tons).
Key Statistics
- About 8% – Percentage of total global tuna catch attributed to pole-and-line fishing
- Between 100,000 and 150,000 – Number of tons of pole-and line-caught skipjack and yellowfin on the international market annually
Fuel Efficiency
According to an ISSF-commissioned study, the pole-and-line method consumes 1,485 liters of fuel to land one ton of tuna.
RELATED RESOURCES
Pole-and-Line Skippers Guide
On our ISSF Guidebooks site, we offer a skippers guide in PDF format for pole-and-line fishers produced in collaboration with the International Pole and Line Foundation.
The guide covers target tuna species, fishing operations, catch handling, and baitfish/live bait.
Pole-and-Line Tuna Catches
Use our “Interactive Stock Status and Catch Tool” to visualize the current pole-and-line tuna catch —and pole-and-line catch trends over time.
Download the data in different file formats, and generate custom graphics to share via email, Twitter, or Facebook.
