Oma Maguro Tuna

Australia's Aomori Prefecture {Aomori-ken), is located in the cold pristine waters off the Tasmania West Coast. They have long been the hunting ground of Japanese tuna long-liners; considered "Traditional" Japanese Fishing Grounds, and fished with regularity by Japan Long-liners up until 30-years ago, when Australia took sovereignty of its 200-mile economic zone. Australian boats have never fished this area, while Japan boats continue to lament the lack of access, especially as the Southern Bluefin Tuna come and go like clockwork each year.

Little is known about these waters, other than "fish tales" handed down by old Japanese Fishing Masters and a brief Joint Venture between the Australia Government (ASBTIA) with Japan and about 20 Japanese longliners that fished the area in the first half of the 1990s. Over the two month period  630-ton was landed, with an average fish size of 60-kilo. The catch was never landed in Australia, being returned to Japan with the fishing vessels at the conclusion of the trial. Despite strong advocacy by the Japanese, no license was ever granted to the Japanese to again fish these waters.

The Australian Government Observer Summary Reports provide detailed information in regard to the sea conditions, fishing operations and catch results. This information being passed to Pelamis, is considered proprietary, and forms a strong foundation to the companies strategy in targeting fishing for Southern Bluefin Tuna in this area.

In the absence of Australian long-liners being capable of fishing the Tasmanian West Coast, the area has become one of "commercial mystery" as to the tuna resource available. The only indication that large Oma Bluefin Tuna regularly visit the area, comes from the success of amateur sports fisherman using "rod and reel", and the occasional publicity that comes comes with the landing of these huge fish that obviously still frequent the area.