Jersey Politicians Support Licensed Catch-and-Release Fishery for Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Atlantic bluefin tuna are back in Jersey waters, and licensed vessels can now chase them. Jersey politicians agreed to new fishing regulations that remove Atlantic bluefin from the island's protected species list and open the door to a tightly regulated catch-and-release recreational fishery, with a maximum of 25 permits to be issued this year.

The 25-permit cap reflects strict quota limits, and each permit will cost £500 to cover Jersey's membership of an international body controlling fishing of the species, and mandatory training costs. Once nearly extinct, Atlantic bluefin tuna have become increasingly abundant in the territorial waters of the Channel Islands, France and the UK in recent years, and several years of local research on numbers and behaviour prompted Environment Minister Steve Luce to seek to develop both a catch-and-release and catch-and-kill industry.

Both islanders and visitors will be eligible to participate in the catch-and-release fishery aboard licensed vessels. Environment Minister Steve Luce said the surge in bluefin is a direct dividend of sustained international effort: "Atlantic bluefin tuna have returned to our waters because of decades of international conservation and careful management. By introducing a tightly regulated recreational fishery, Jersey is taking a responsible step that supports both the long-term protection of this species and the sustainable enjoyment of our marine environment. These regulations ensure that any activity in our waters meets the highest welfare and compliance standards."

Deputy Luce asked the States to remove bluefin tuna from the list of protected species in the island's Wildlife Law as part of the regulatory shift underpinning the new fishery. Director of Natural Environment Willie Peggie noted that "there will be a lot of scrutiny on us as this fishery opens to make sure we are complying with the obligations that we have."

The catch-and-release permits are only half the story. Jersey is separately planning to introduce a catch-and-kill fishery for tuna, which would see locally caught fish appearing on island menus and in shops. Clarity over the opportunities for both commercial and recreational fishing of Atlantic bluefin tuna is expected before the summer, as the island is awaiting confirmation of the UK's final management position following the submission of a key document to ICCAT. The Atlantic bluefin tuna quota is held at a UK level, meaning Jersey vessels would need to apply to the Marine Management Organisation in the UK for a commercial permit.

On March 5, the UK government's bluefin tuna fishing plan was agreed and endorsed by ICCAT, setting out how the UK intends to utilise its quota allocation across the 2026 to 2028 TAC cycle in both the commercial fishery and the recreational catch-and-release fishery. Jersey's slice of that allocation will determine whether bluefin tuna makes it onto a restaurant plate on the island anytime soon.

Members of the island's fishing community have been supportive of the proposed expansion, saying it could benefit several parts of the economy, including hospitality businesses as well as those directly involved in fishing. For an island that has watched bluefin working the waters just offshore for years without being able to legally target them, the regulations represent a significant shift, and the 25-permit ceiling means the first season will be closely watched by the international bodies that made it possible.