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Pole and Line

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 7% — 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

Bycatch

Pole-and-line fishing reduces bycatch of sharks, turtles and other larger marine animals.

Our report ISSF 2025-02: Tuna Fisheries’ Impacts on Non-Tuna Species and Other Environmental Aspects: 2025 Update* examines the effects of different tuna-fishing methods on non-tuna species like sharks.

Fuel Efficiency

According to an ISSF-commissioned study, ISSF 2025-03: Fuel Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Global Tuna Fisheries: 2024 Updated Report, the pole-and-line method in 2023 used an average of 749.5 liters of fuel to land one ton of tuna.

POLE-AND-LINE 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.

Read more

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.

Use the Tool

POLE-AND-LINE NEWS

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