2024 Bluefin Tuna Catch and Release Fishery is open (3rd August 2024)

The recreational bluefin tuna fishing season opens this weekend.  From Saturday 3^rd August to the 31^st December charter boats and private boats who have been given a permit by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) will be able to target tuna in the catch and release only fishery.

This weekend is a huge landmark in a journey that began in 2018 with the launch of a campaign group, Bluefin Tuna UK (later the UK Bluefin Tuna Association (UKBFTA), who joined forces with the Angling Trust to establish a scientific research program to help inform the future management options for this iconic fish

Joined by the Professional Boatman’s Association (PBA) in 2020, the recreational sea angling sector went on to win, co-design and deliver the English CatcH And Release Tagging program, (CHART) that began in 2021. CHART represented an unprecedented collaboration between skippers, anglers, scientists and Government agencies. It delivered over 3,200 tagged and released fish, gathered huge volumes of important data, achieved incredibly low mortality rates, and generated millions in revenue for hard pressed coastal communities.  This success led directly to the introduction of a Catch and Release Recreational Fishery (CRRF) in England and Wales this year.

Martin Salter, Head of Policy at the Angling Trust, said:

“Following years of efforts to secure acknowledgement and equitable treatment for the recreational sector, the ‘wins’ that brought us here show the huge strides forward that were made to deliver a bluefin fishery and give anglers the chance to experience some of the most exciting game fishing in our home waters.”

The CRRF is a ‘lighter touch’ fishery as determined by DEFRA. It is its first year of operation.  In many ways it is a learning year.  There were some areas that as stakeholders we had differences of opinion with DEFRA regarding some aspects of this first year of operations, which we have been transparent about. Collaboration and co-design is a process that requires compromise on both sides, and whilst not perfect, this is a significant step forward.

But it is only the first step in a process that should see the CRRF evolve and grow in the coming years.  We, along with our partners, UKBFTA and the PBA, will continue to push Defra and the MMO to learn lessons, expand the fishery, and deliver an even greater experience for anglers, while maintaining the highest welfare standards.

Stuart Singleton-White, Head of Campaigns at the Angling Trust, said;

“This is an exciting time for sea angling.  The chance for us to experience some of the best game angling in the world.  And it’s on our doorstep.  No need to travel thousands of miles to do so.

“Of course, its year one, we’ve still got things to learn.  We will continue to push Defra and the MMO to improve and expand this fishery in the years to come.  But after over six years of hard graft to get us to today, let’s just go out and enjoy our fishing.”

The ensure that angler safety and fish welfare are at the heart of this fishery, and to make sure the skills and experience gained by the charter skippers who took part in CHART are available to all permit holders, whatever their level of experience, stakeholders, lead by UKBFTA working with some of the most experienced bluefin tuna skippers, crew and anglers in the UK, have developed a series of training and support material.  This includes:

• Free in person training days. Five days have been run for permit holders so far and we are hoping to run a further two in the coming weeks.
• Training and knowledge resources, covering everything from gear types to fish handling to angler safety via the UKBFTA knowledge bank: Recreational bluefin fishery-Knowledge bank (ukbfta.co.uk)
• Training “how to” videos supporting the published training materials will be launched in coming days. These will be available via Recreational bluefin fishery-Knowledge bank (ukbfta.co.uk)
• A Code of Conduct, giving guidance and advice for permitted anglers to conduct legal, safe, professional levels of recreational angling, whilst contributing to the future management of Atlantic bluefin tuna thereby ensuring these iconic species have a sustainable future Bluefin-Code-of-Conduct-July-15th-Final-doc.pdf (ukbfta.co.uk)

Starting on the 3^rd August all that remains is for permit holders to make the most of this incredible opportunity and show the rest of the world what an amazing recreational bluefin fishery we have here in the UK.  And for anglers to book those trips on bluefin tuna charter boats to have the thrill of a lifetime.