MMO ‘Sightings of bluefin tuna off the English South West coast have been reported to the Marine Management Organisation (MMO). On Monday a vessel escorting tourists around Mounts Bay, Penzance reported what it thought to be a group of bluefin tuna. Fishermen in the area have also spotted the shoal.   The Atlantic bluefin tuna is a large migratory fish found in the western and eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea. The UK has no quota for bluefin tuna and UK fishing vessels must not target the species. If bluefin tuna are caught accidentally they must be returned to the sea. If this is not possible then the fish may be landed but must not be sold.

Nick Wright, South West Marine Area Manager said:

“Sightings such as these are unusual although we have never had any reports of illegal activity. We will continue to monitor the situation and sightings can be reported to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas which is an inter-governmental fishery organisation responsible for the conservation of tunas and tuna-like species in the Atlantic Ocean and its adjacent seas. The important thing to note is that the species should not be targeted as there is no UK quota.”

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/bluefin-tuna-spotted-off-south-west-coast

A huge shoal of bluefin tuna worth around £250million has been spotted off the West Country coast, according to reports in the Western Morning News.

The 500-strong shoal is said to have been seen during a wildlife cruise off the Cornish coast. A single fish can fetch up to £1 million on the Japanese market where it is eaten raw in sushi and is a highly sort-after delicacy. British fishermen have no quota for the tuna and only some countries, such as France, Spain and Greece, are allowed to land them and then only up to July. It has sparked fears that the fish, which can grow to 6ft long and weigh 550lb, could be illegally targeted. But Paul Trebilcock, chief executive of the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation, said: “We do get the odd bluefin tuna but a shoal worth £250 million seems highly unlikely.” “Even if they are out there, we couldn’t land them anyway.” A massive bluefin tuna was found in Cornish waters last year.

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http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/250-million-shoal-tuna-Cornish-coast/story-27651615-detail/story.html