The first tuna are back in the cages in Spencer Gulf meaning a return to a daily routine for the hundreds of workers that rely on tuna farming.
MG Kailis Tuna once again was the first company back with general manager John Isle more than happy with the size and condition of his fish. Kailis' first tow cage and the tow vessel Grete K arrived back in record time on Christmas eve with the transfer of about 9000 fish weighing an estimated 130 tons into four feed cages taking place on Boxing Day. “They started feeding well on the way back and continue to be ravenous,†Mr. Isle said. The average sample weight of the fish measured during the transfer was average for this time of year, he said.
A second Kailis cage had just entered the Passage southwest of Port Lincoln and should arrive on site in the next few days.
Another positive was the clarity and quality of the water in Spencer Gulf, which would only help the once wild tuna settle into their new temporary homes.
Kailis is one of three companies that decided to fish before Christmas with the remainder of the tuna companies only leaving in the New Year.
Stehr Group general manager Marcus Stehr said his tow cage was expected to arrive by January 5 with the recent strong tides resulting from the full moon delaying progress somewhat.
The tow vessels are limited to one knot so as not to stress the fish with companies now starting to feed the tuna straight away in effort to get the fish to adjust to captivity.
Kailis and the Stehr Group will be heading out again in a few weeks to catch a second batch of tuna. Tuna industry spokesman Brian Jeffriess said companies were obviously hoping for better prices this year but "uncertainty" was now the catch phrase of the day.
While demand in Japan was unknown, the increase in Mexican farmed tuna production coupled with the ongoing Mediterranean harvest did not bode well, he said.
Feeding time at the cages: MG Kailis workers Paul Smith, Bronte Smith and Thao Truong feed the first tuna to arrive back in Spencer Gulf for the season. Fishers have reported large schools out in the Great Australian Bight but remain worried about prices.
