Tuna baitfish in the Indo-Pacific region

This workshop examined research results from an ACIAR project designed to assist in managing tuna baitfish as a resource.

Baitfish, small fish thrown live into the sea to attract tuna schools, are important for tuna fishermen in Solomon Islands and Maldives using the traditional pole-and-line method. It is thus vital that baitfish stocks are not over exploited.

Although many of the workshop papers are directed at the biology of tuna baitfish, the work has wider implications because species used as baitfish are often important food fishes in the countries of Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent and the African coast.