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M.V. Arctic Sunrise

Crew Update 10th April

Still no sign of fishing boats, but not through want of trying. We chased a ship all night through a storm, only to discover in the morning that it was a freighter. We pulled the lid off something called the Moonpool, which is a large pipe that runs vertically from the hold down to the bottom of the ship, where it is open to the sea. Down into the sea water we then rigged a length of water pipe with a water temperature sensor on the bottom, which we then connected to a depth sounder on the bridge.

The reason that we are so interested in the water temperature is that the Tuna are found in areas where there is steep changes in water temperature, so where we find that the water temperature is changing quickly, we may well find the longliners. At least now we can see at a glance what the temperature is. Of course we had to go to some trouble to fit this sensor pipe into the Moonpool lid, because if it is not water tight we could sink the ship! Also, the lid could only be removed during a brief respite from the weather. We even swung a home made pendulum over the chart, the only result of that being a raised eyebrow from the captain and Southern Blue Fin Tuna in the Southern Alps of New Zealand! Well at least it can't be said that we haven't explored all possible options!

These large tuna follow particular migration patterns, and where they are and at what time is due to the interrelation of water temperatures, currents, and sea floor topography, which combined produce conditions favorable to the tuna. They will only be in this area for a few weeks, but where they might be is what the fishermen try very hard to determine, and we on the ship must not only discover where the fish might be, but also where the fishermen might be within that area.

It's a big detective game. But fortunately searching the sea is something this ship's crew is accustomed to. Many campaigns through the years have demanded the mix of patience and tenacity that we need now, whether it be driftnetters, nuclear waste transports, dumping ships or now, longliners. However, clarity of purpose, a mindfulness of our overall aims, and shear bloody-minded persistency give short shift to the inevitable doubts that pop up at the end of another fruitless day.