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Advice for fishers

In recent years, Atlantic bluefin tuna have been caught and by-caught in the commercial and recreational fishing sectors off the coast of the UK & Ireland. Bluefin tuna are one of the powerful fish in the oceans, and, in the event of capture can die without proper handling. We will therefore be working working with both the recreational and commercial sectors to develop guidelines and mitigation measures for ensuring the highest rates of survivorship for Atlantic bluefin tuna released after incidental capture events. We are always open to ideas and encourage any feedback that you might have. 

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Atlantic bluefin tuna are a prohibited species in UK waters and must not be targeted by commercial or recreational fishers. Should they be accidentally caught, they must be returned to the sea alive by following the guidelines below and all incidents reported to the Marine Management Organisation (MMO). The current rules and regulations with regards to Atlantic bluefin tuna in UK waters can be found on the MMO website. To download either the guidelines or the explanation of those guidelines, click on the images below. 

THUNNUS UK

THUNNUS UK is a collaborative research project between the University of Exeter, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and the Tuna Research and Conservation Centre of Stanford University, USA and aims to provide a robust understanding of the ecology of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) in waters of the British Isles. The project is supported by EU Interreg IV (FISH-INTEL), the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra), Welsh Government and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF).

CONTACT

E: bluefin@exeter.ac.uk

      @thunnusuk

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