After decades of absence, Atlantic bluefin tuna have triumphantly returned to UK waters. Research conducted by Cefas and the University of Exeter has shown that numbers of these magnificent fish are systematically increasing following a long period of absence linked to population decline. Scientists have analysed data spanning a 16-year period, documenting the increase in bluefin tuna arriving in the waters of the Celtic Seas and off southwest England, the Scilly Isles, and northwest Ireland to feed in late summer and autumn.
Atlantic bluefin tuna begin arriving in May and remain as late as January, with peak observations occurring between August and October each year. Their presence has been particularly noted off the coasts of Cornwall and southwest England, where they now appear in their thousands.
📊 Causes of the Return
The return of Atlantic bluefin tuna to UK waters results from several factors:
Effective Conservation Measures: Beginning in 2010, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), along with several countries that had previously fished them intensively, began addressing overfishing by reducing catch quotas and cracking down on illegal fishing.
Improved Food Availability: Captain Chris Gill observed: “We get a good run of anchovies, sardines, mackerel and herring. The tuna are here feeding on them.” Juvenile bluefin tuna pursue smaller fish such as mackerel, sardines, and herring.
Warming Waters: The growing numbers of bluefin tuna in waters around the UK are linked to the warming impact of long-term ocean currents and greater prey availability.
📅 2025 Fishing Season and Locations
Recreational Season (Catch and Release)
- Dates: 18 July – 30 November 2025
- Area: English waters (Scotland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, and Guernsey are not planning to open recreational fisheries in their waters this year)
- Number of permits: Up to 180 vessels (increase from 100 in the previous year)
- Requirements: Mandatory permit issued by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO)
Commercial Season
- Dates: 1 July – 31 December 2025
- Area: English and Scottish waters (bluefin tuna fishing will not be permitted in Welsh or Northern Irish waters in 2025)
- Number of licences: 15 vessels (increase from 13 in the previous year)
- Catch limit: 3 tonnes per vessel, totalling 45 tonnes (increase from 39 tonnes in the previous year)
2025 Quota Allocation
The UK received a total quota of 66.15 tonnes of bluefin tuna for 2025, allocated as follows:
- 45 tonnes for commercial fisheries
- 13 tonnes for recreational fisheries (decrease from 16 tonnes in 2024)
- 7.15 tonnes for bycatch in other commercial fisheries
- 1 tonne for further CHART-type programmes
⚖️ Regulations and Licensing
Recreational Fisheries (Catch and Release)
Basic Requirements:
- Valid MMO permit
- Vessel not less than 5 metres in overall length powered by an engine/motor
- Vessel owner registered in the United Kingdom under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995
- For charter vessels – valid Small Commercial Vessel Certificate (SCV2)
Permit Allocation Priority:
- Priority 1a and 1b: 2024 experience AND completed training (CHART programme or FaSS training)
- Priority 2a and 2b: Participation in previous years’ CHART programme
- Priority 3: No verifiable UK training (minimum 10 permits reserved for new entrants)
Commercial Fisheries
Requirements:
- Hold a commercial fishing licence and be registered in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland
- Vessel of 12 metres and under in overall length
- Fishing trips limited to no more than 24 hours
- Use rod and reel fishing gears only
- No chumming permitted
- Record all catches and submit Electronic Bluefin Tuna Catch Document (eBCD) for all landings
🧰 Equipment and Fishing Techniques
Equipment
Atlantic bluefin tuna require specialist equipment due to their power and size:
- Rods: Most of these fish cannot be landed with regular boat rods, conger rods, or shark rods without running the risk of leaving a hook in the mouth of this extraordinary fish. Specialist tackle is required
- Performance: Atlantic bluefin tuna can swim at speeds of up to 40mph and can dive to several hundred metres in search of prey
Best Fishing Periods
Bluefin tuna appear in Cornish waters when sardines arrive, so timing varies each year. They are present in greatest numbers from August to the end of October, but can still be found in December, with arrivals beginning in July.
🌍 CHART Programme – Scientific Foundation
The CHART (CatcH And Release Tagging) programme was crucial for understanding bluefin tuna populations:
Results of the 3-year programme (2021-2023):
- 3,177 fish tagged, 1,655 trips made, 4,490 anglers able to realise their tuna fishing ambitions
- Achieved an impressive 99.3% release rate, demonstrating commitment to high welfare standards and sustainability
- In 2021, the pilot programme with 15 vessels resulted in tagging over 700 tuna. In 2022, the programme expanded to 25 charter vessels
Training and Standards:
- 40 skippers and crew members from fishing ports across southwest and southern England completed specialist training in catching, tagging, and releasing Atlantic bluefin tuna
- The project created a highly motivated community of interest comprising 126 professionally trained individuals
💼 Economic Impact
The CHART programme provided concrete data on economic benefits:
Data from 2022 socio-economic survey:
- 80% of participating anglers’ spending was local, generating a total economic impact of £2.6 million
- This injection into local economies in southwest England provided £733k of Gross Value Added (GVA) and supported approximately 34 full-time employment positions
- The programme successfully attracted recreational anglers, boosting tourism in coastal areas
Benefits to Local Communities:
- Angling Tourism: Increased numbers of tourists interested in tuna fishing
- Employment: Creation of new jobs in the fishing sector and related services
- Local Development: Strengthening of coastal area economies
🔬 Scientific and Conservation Significance
Charles Clover of the Blue Marine Foundation calls the efforts to restore Atlantic bluefin tuna populations “one of the great conservation achievements of this century.”
Population Status:
- In September 2021, Atlantic bluefin tuna was moved from “Endangered” to “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- In 2015, the IUCN improved the status from “Endangered” by two notches to “Near Threatened” for the crucial Eastern Atlantic/Mediterranean stock representing 90%+ of the population
Future Challenges: Research shows that the “cut-off” temperature of 28°C – above which juvenile bluefin experience metabolic damage – will be reached in the Mediterranean Sea within a few decades at current trends, potentially forcing populations to migrate northward.
📈 Future Prospects
The development of sustainable Atlantic bluefin tuna fisheries in the UK has solid scientific and legal foundations. After more than six years of dedicated efforts by the Angling Trust and UK Bluefin Tuna Association, legislation enabling the opening of recreational catch-and-release fisheries came into effect.
The CHART programme proved that it is possible to combine scientific value, environmental protection, and economic benefits in one well-designed programme. Its success has laid the foundations for the future development of a world-class, sustainable recreational bluefin tuna fishery in UK waters.
🎣 Fishing Guidelines and Best Practices
Seasonal Patterns
Atlantic bluefin tuna timing in UK waters follows predictable patterns:
- Arrival: May (first sightings)
- Peak season: August-October (highest numbers)
- Late season: November-January (still present but fewer numbers)
Size and Characteristics
- Atlantic bluefin tuna average 2-2.5m in length, with some reaching 4m
- Weighing over 600kg, they are often mistaken for dolphins from a distance due to their immense size
- They are highly migratory, covering huge distances with their torpedo-shaped bodies
- Their warm-bloodedness allows them to hit high speeds rapidly and maintain them regardless of water temperature
Fishing Locations
Prime areas for bluefin tuna encounters include:
- Cornwall: Falmouth Bay and surrounding waters
- Southwest England: Celtic Sea waters
- Scilly Isles: Offshore waters
- Devon and Dorset: Coastal and offshore areas
🌊 Conservation Success Story
The return of Atlantic bluefin tuna to UK waters represents one of the most remarkable marine conservation success stories of recent decades. From near-extinction in the 1960s due to overfishing, these magnificent predators have recovered through:
- International cooperation through ICCAT management
- Strict quota systems and enforcement
- Scientific monitoring through programmes like CHART
- Sustainable fishing practices prioritising catch-and-release
- Community engagement involving recreational and commercial sectors
This recovery demonstrates that with proper management, even severely depleted fish stocks can return to healthy levels, providing both ecological and economic benefits to coastal communities.
Article based on official data from Cefas, Marine Management Organisation, Angling Trust, UK Bluefin Tuna Association, and peer-reviewed scientific publications.
