GovWire

Status of bluefin tuna

Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) (Thunnus thynnus) is present again in UK waters after an absence of many years. Scientific surveys and sightings by members of the public suggest an increased number of them in UK waters, most probably due to changes to environmental or prey conditions.

The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) is the international Regional Fisheries Management Organisation managing Atlantic bluefin tuna.

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 thisreport.

In 2021, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) changed their entry for Eastern Atlantic bluefin tuna fromendangered to least concernreflecting the improving state of the stock. However, the status of least concern awarded recently shows the need for a cautious approach to management.

What to do with caught bluefin tuna

The UK now 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. The MMO and Defra trial commercial fishery for bluefin tuna in the UKin 2023, closed on the 31 December 2023.

Catch and Release Tagging Programme (CHART)

CHART is a scientific catch-and-release tagging programme that was first piloted in 2021. The 2023 CHART programme closed on the 10 December 2023.

During CHART programmes, skippers that are selected for the CHART programme will secure a Marine Management Organisation (MMO) scientific licence. These selected skippers will continue to catch and record their catches to 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 please follow 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 theThunnus website.

Commercial vessels

No commercial UK vessels are authorised to target this stock unless involved in the trial commercial fishery for bluefin tuna in the UK.

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

First introduced in 2021, a new licence condition allows certain English vessels to sell commercially by-caught bluefin tuna which is above the MCRS.

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:

1. A limit of one by-caught bluefin tuna able to be sold per trip by vessels.
2. 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 theThunnus UKproject, the MMO will approve this once reported. Where this isnt possible at the time of landing you will be required to destroy the bluefin tuna by-catch.

All landed bluefin tuna must be accompanied with an ICCAT Electronic Bluefin Tuna Catch Document (eBCD). For assistance, please contact ukiuuslo@marinemanagement.org.uk

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 theThunnus UKproject, the MMO or UKFMC will approve this once reported. Where this isnt 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