Bluefin Tuna
A scheme aiming to provide scientific data about Atlantic Bluefin Tuna in the South West has been expanded.
It comes after a Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) funded pilot was launched in 2021.
It is hoped the findings will bring benefits and an economic boost to coastal communities.
The scheme has been expanded from 15 to 25 licenced boats.
About 700 tuna were caught off the region's coast, tagged and then released last year in a bid to understand the species.
The initial pilot ran from August to November 2021, and this year will run until December.
Skipper Mark Jury said: "Everyone benefits from people coming to fish for tuna. The actual economic benefit from that is huge."
Victoria Prentis, Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said: "It will be really interesting to find out how many fish we've got in our waters and why, what is attracting them to our waters and where specifically they are coming from."
Resources
How bluefish tuna returned to UK oceans after 60 years of absence
Guidance
Bluefin tuna in the UK
Information on the current rules applicable to Bluefin tuna in UK waters.
Marine Management Organisation
Contents
Status of bluefin tuna
Eastern Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) is a highly migratory species which for several years appeared to be absent from UK waters. Scientific surveys and sightings by members of the public suggest an increased number of them in UK waters. The reasons for this increase are not clear but are likely due to shifts in distribution. Changes in environmental or prey conditions or increases in stock size could have caused these shifts.
The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) is the international Regional Fisheries Management Organisation managing Atlantic bluefin tuna. The UK funds the Thunnus UK project, as part of the ICCAT Grand Bluefin Tuna Year Programme (GBYP) research activities. Thunnus provides an understanding of the ecology of Eastern Atlantic bluefin tuna in waters of the British Isles.
In 2021, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) changed their entry for Eastern Atlantic bluefin tuna from “endangered” to “least concern”. This reflects the improving state of the stock. The only recent labelling of Eastern Atlantic bluefin tuna as “least concern” underlines a need for a continued cautious approach to its management.
In 2020, ICCAT received advice from its Standing Committee on Research and Statistics (SCRS) that the stock was increasing and unlikely to be subject to overfishing. The SCRS acknowledges these assessments and stock projections include a degree of uncertainty. This uncertainty relates to some aspects of the bluefin tuna life history and the models used. The 2020 bluefin tuna SCRS advice is available in this report.
What to do with caught bluefin tuna
2021 is the first year in which the UK holds its own bluefin tuna quota. Under this quota, allocations have been made to account for incidental mortality arising from the ‘catch-and-release tagging’ programme (CHART) and for unavoidable by-catch in commercial fisheries.
Catch and Release Tagging Programme (CHART)
CHART is a scientific ‘catch-and-release tagging’ programme for 2021. Skippers who have been selected for the CHART programme will secure a Marine Management Organisation (MMO) scientific licence. These selected skippers will be trained by the CHART programme in catching, tagging and data recording techniques so that they can contribute to bluefin tuna research. This is done while ensuring the protection of bluefin tuna welfare by releasing bluefin tuna unharmed once tagged. Participating vessels are operating within the English and Bristol Channels.
CHART vessels must offer any bluefin tuna that die during the capture process to the MMO, for scientific research. For more information see the Cefas (CHART) website.
Recreational sea anglers
Recreational sea anglers not involved in CHART are not authorised to target or land bluefin tuna. Any incidental catch must not be brought onto the vessel it must be released alive, unharmed to the greatest extent possible. Recreational sea anglers must not land bluefin tuna.
For guidance on how to safely return bluefin tuna to the sea, visit the Thunnus website.
Commercial vessels
No commercial UK vessels are authorised to target this stock. The bluefin tuna should be released alive and unharmed to the greatest extent possible, logbook vessels must record the discard.
For the protection and conservation of bluefin tuna there is a minimum conservation reference size (MCRS). For bluefin tuna caught in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean the MCRS is 30kg or 115cm (fork length).
If the bluefin tuna cannot be returned to the sea alive UK vessels must:
record all bluefin tuna by-catch
report and land all dead bluefin tuna above MCRS
discard all dead bluefin tuna below MCRS, vessels must record all discards
For English administered commercial vessels
For 2021, a new licence condition allows certain English vessels to sell commercially by-caught bluefin tuna which is above the MCRS.
The MMO issued the licence condition variation on Thursday 5 August 2021. The licence condition may change according to quota usage.
Selling bluefin tuna is only allowed under certain provisions. This is to prevent direct targeting. These provisions are:
A limit of one by-caught bluefin tuna able to be sold per trip by vessels.
Only vessels with gear types with a risk of unavoidable by-catch can sell this bluefin tuna. The permissible gear types under these requirements are:
demersal trawls
pelagic trawls
seines nets
ring nets
fixed nets
These measures ensure the continuation of a precautionary management of this stock.
English vessels must continue to report and land all dead bluefin tuna by-catch above the MCRS which cannot be offered for sale. The MMO may offer this bluefin tuna for scientific research, as part of the Thunnus UK project, the MMO will approve this once reported. Where this isn’t possible at the time of landing you will be required to destroy the bluefin tuna by-catch.
For Non-English administered UK commercial vessels
The licence condition allowing for the sale of one commercially by-caught bluefin tuna per trip is currently only applicable to certain English administered vessels, but this may change in future years.
Northern Irish, Scottish and Welsh administered vessels must continue to report and land all dead bluefin tuna by-catch above the MCRS. Vessels are prohibited from selling this bluefin tuna. The MMO may offer this bluefin tuna for scientific research, as part of the Thunnus UK project, the MMO or UKFMC will approve this once reported. Where this isn’t possible at the time of landing you will be required to destroy the bluefin tuna by-catch.
How to land dead bluefin tuna
UK vessels landing by-caught bluefin tuna are able to land at any UK designated port. If you are unable to reach a designated port seek advice from the UK Fisheries Monitoring Centre (UKFMC).
When an English commercial vessel intends to sell by-caught bluefin tuna which is dead, they are to prepare, pack and store the tuna for sale as per usual. Traders who wish to buy English by-caught bluefin tuna will need to be an authorised registered trader. Traders need to request registration before the sale with either the MMO or UKFMC. A list of registered traders can be found here.
Alongside standard reporting requirements, all UK vessels must report all by-caught bluefin tuna which is dead to the MMO or the UKFMC 4 hours before landing. If unable to report at least 4 hours before landing, vessels must report as soon as reasonably possible. These vessels may not land the by-catch until prior authorisation has been granted by the MMO or UKFMC.
When reporting between the hours of 08:00 – 20:00 GMT Monday – Friday report this by-catch to the MMO UK single liaison office (UKSLO) on 0330 041 6585 or ukiuuslo@marinemanagement.org.uk
When reporting between the hours of 20:00 – 08:00 GMT Monday – Friday and weekends report this by-catch to the UKFMC on 0131 244 2286 or UKFMC@gov.scot
When reporting ensure you have the following information ready:
total bluefin tuna weight
number caught
vessel details
license details
which designated port of landing
trader, if selling
MMO or UKFMC use this information to create an electronic bluefin tuna catch document (eBCD). Landing or selling bluefin tuna without a completed and validated catch document (eBCD) is prohibited. Once the eBCD is validated, vessels will receive confirmation via email or phone.
English and Welsh administered vessels under 10 metres will need to submit a catch record no later than completion of landing using the Catch Application.
Scottish administered vessels of 10-12 metres must record this by-catch in their paper logbook. Scottish administered vessels of under 10 metres must record it on their weekly FISH1 return.
CHARTER SKIPPERS START BLUEFIN TAGGING
https://fishingnews.co.uk/news/charter-skippers-start-bluefin-tagging/
16th August 2022
Twenty-eight skippers and their crew from ports across South West and southern England will make their first trip of the 2022 season on 15 August to catch, tag, and release Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT).
The vessels are taking part in the Defra-funded scientific ‘catch, tag and release’ (CHART) programme, which aims to provide important scientific data to help understand and manage Atlantic bluefin tuna while benefiting coastal communities.
After a successful pilot in 2021, the programme has received funding for another year in 2022 and offers an exciting opportunity for recreational anglers to legally encounter these ocean giants.
Atlantic bluefin tuna are known for being amongst the biggest and fastest fish in the sea. They are also one of the most valuable, as anyone watching the National Geographic series Wicked Tuna will be all too aware, with individual fish, flown to the lucrative Japanese sushi market, sometimes worth in excess of £10,000 each. This value contributed to overfishing and their rapid decline on the Atlantic seaboard of America, as well as in the Mediterranean.
UK stocks crashed in the 1970s, when pelagic fish stocks collapsed due to overfishing, and have only recently been able to recover, after conservation efforts across the Atlantic have seen bluefin numbers rebuild from almost zero in the last decade.
In a statement celebrating the opening of the tagging season, Cefas said: “In recent years, the number of reported sightings of BFT in UK waters has been increasing. This has led to a growing interest in the species from the science community, recreational fishing groups and the commercial fishing sector.
“Despite historic evidence of captures around the UK, we know relatively little detail of their day-to-day movements and behaviour, for example how long they stay in British waters and where they go once they leave our coastal environment.
“CHART brings together a breadth of fishing, science and conservation interests in a collaborative, innovative approach to tuna scientific research. The data collected will contribute not only to improving understanding of Atlantic bluefin tuna in English waters but will also be supplied to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).”
Welcoming the programme, and the additional knowledge that this research will provide, environment secretary George Eustice said: “The return of Atlantic bluefin tuna to UK waters is welcome news, and it is important we get the data to properly understand this through a catch, tag and release programme.
“We are backing an expanded scheme this year, and its findings will help inform the future management of this highly valued species, in line with our commitment to making sure our marine environment is protected.”
Cefas senior fisheries scientist Sophy Phillips said: “Scientific research and citizen science projects have provided evidence that Atlantic bluefin tuna are returning to UK waters in increasing numbers during the summer months. But we still don’t understand enough about these amazing predators; CHART offers the potential to fill gaps in our knowledge of their distribution, movements, behaviour, numbers and demographics.
“Training vessel skippers and their crew in scientific techniques so that they can tag the Atlantic bluefin tuna, as well as collect data on their size, fishing effort and sightings, will enable us to develop a clearer picture of BFT in English waters.”
In 2021, the first year of tagging, 704 tuna were tagged, in a total 2,881 hours of fishing effort – one every four hours. The boys fishing in the US commercially, documented on Wicked Tuna, would be envious! In spite of extremely strict quotas, licence limits and a well-documented recovery of stocks after years of overfishing, their catch rates are a fraction of this.
Results in 2022 are expected to be even more impressive. Additional vessels have joined the programme, and FN has heard multiple reports that the tuna have arrived in July, a week or two ahead of some previous years, and in abundant numbers. Rumours of a bluefin inside Plymouth harbour last week abound, though FN has been unable to track down any pictures that confirm this.
The setting up of the CHART programme has involved close collaboration between Defra, Cefas, the MMO and a steering group representing a wide range of angling and conservation interests – though without the involvement of any group from the commercial sector.
Ross Parham, who operates a 12m catamaran from Brixham, said: “As a returning skipper from CHART 2021, I am delighted to be chosen again for CHART 2022. In my opinion, the South West of England has one of the best big-game fisheries in the world with the BFT that we are lucky to have in our coastal waters, so who would not want to be a part of that!
“The Cefas team are brilliant, and to see professional skippers working together with scientists makes for some great results and useful data.”
Bespoke workshops on the programme, led by Cefas scientists and sector experts, were held in Falmouth and Plymouth in July. Attendees included skippers and crew, and Cefas, MMO and Defra staff.
One participant told FN: “The training was excellent, and covered everything from tagging processes to fish handling, and the type of gear that is best to use, all the way through to ensuring that we can also help participating anglers and ensure their safety, and understanding of the tagging programmes as well.”
Although some of the vessels involved are registered and operate at other times as commercial fishing vessels, no bluefin caught under this programme can be landed, and strict protocols to ensure minimal stress and handling of fish are in place.
Like commercial fishing boats in the UK, recreational sea anglers are not permitted to target bluefin tuna outside of the CHART programme, and must release any unintended catches immediately and unharmed.