Tuna Cages Tour: With Ron Kandelaars in the West Coast region of South Australia

Early morning at the Lincoln Cove Marina and while many in town are still sleep others are off to work. The early start has its compensations though - especially when there are brilliant sunrises.

As we leave the marina in our wake, with Peter Dennis from Triple Bay Charters at the helm, we pass others who have been out here since first light.

"These guys dive on the tuna farms seven days a week to check the condition of the fish to get mortality fish out," explained Peter. "They'll get probably about three to seven percent mortality rate under tow and once they get them back in here. So they've got to get those out or they'll attract predators or disease."

The tuna were caught out at sea off the Continental Shelf and slowly towed back several hundred kilometres to the waters on the deepwater side of Boston Island.

"There are about 130 tuna pens out here," Peter said. "But Boston Harbour is three times bigger than Sydney Harbour so there is plenty of room for the boats to work in."

Every day, all day, an armada of feed boats are out fattening up the Southern Blue Fin Tuna which, when sold to agents in Japan have fetched as much as five to six thousand dollars each.

"They feed them once in the morning and once in the afternoon. They throw the pilchards into the pens with shovels to imitate a bait school."

The tuna are fed as much as five to eight tonnes of pilchards a day until they are ready for sale… then lovers of sushi and sashimi around the world dine out on Port Lincoln tuna.

Peter's tour also allows you to bait up and cast a line on the edge of the pens in the hope of catching your own lunch or dinner.

Triple Bay Charters Tour operates from Port Lincoln. To book, phone Peter 0429 824 119.

Triple Bay Charters
Tours depart Lincoln Cove Marina
Port Lincoln
Contact Peter Dennis
Ph 0429 824 119