Pole and line fishing begins with live bait fishing using a handmade cotton lift net. The net is carefully deployed over the side of a Fishing vessel using four long poles. Fishermen attract the live bait by smearing fish paste on a pole and sharply depositing it above the net.
Once the live bait is caught, the fishermen venture out to the open sea, relying on sightings of birds or dolphins to locate schools of tuna. The live bait is then used to keep the tuna swimming frantically around the boat, making it easier to land them on their hooks.
The fishermen lower their lines into the water, patiently waiting for a tuna to bite. As soon as a tuna gets hooked, they swiftly pull it up onto the boat.
The use of a single hook and line per fisher minimizes bycatch, ensuring that only targeted species are caught, leaving the rest of the marine life undisturbed.
The fish are then taken to shore, where they are either sold to local islands.
Smoked tuna is a popular Maldivian delicacy. The fish is poached in boiling water over an open fire stove, then left to dry on a rack known as a "dhumashi" just above the stove. This traditional method imparts a distinctive smoky flavor that is beloved across the islands.
