Big game bonanza!

ANGLERS should soon be able to legally fish for Atlantic bluefin tuna off UK shores, with a realistic chance of catching them for the first time in more than a generation.

In a development that seemed inconceivable only a decade ago, charter boat customers look certain to be allowed to participate in a thriving British big game fishery, the likes of which hasn’t been seen for the better part of 70 years.

The exciting news comes after the EU gave the UK 0.25 per cent – almost 50 tonnes – of its international bluefin quota as part of the Brexit Deal. Initially modelled on the Republic of Ireland’s successful scientific catch-and-release-tagging (CHART) tuna fishery run on registered charter boats, these British fisheries could grow in size and scale over coming years.

Anglers should soon be able to legally fish for Atlantic bluefin tuna off UK shores

“Over the past two years experts from the recreational angling sector and the scientific community have worked tirelessly alongside civil servants to thoroughly address all the issues required to establish sustainable, world-leading recreational live-release Atlantic bluefin fisheries in UK waters,”

explained Steve Murphy, the driving force behind Bluefin Tuna UK, a campaign launched in late 2018 which called for a recreational catch-and-release fishery supporting scientific research.

Wide support

Since that launch, numerous MPs have lent their support to the proposals, as have charter skippers from the Professional Boatman’s Association and the Angling Trades Association, along with a number of its members.

The Angling Trust has been hugely supportive of the campaign, offering expert advice and participating in the process from the start. Its Head of Sea Angling, David Mitchell, welcomed the willingness of government department Defra to work with angling in an exercise that should, all being well, conclude in a ‘UK CHART’ programme.

“We’ve made excellent progress in making the case for a science-led tagging programme to be run this year (2021).

“We’ll be keeping anglers informed as this consultation process continues – hopefully with news that charter boats will be taking anglers out fishing for tuna as part of important ongoing scientific research into the species,” said David.

Bluefin like this 300lb giant have been caught accidentally by charter skippers targeting sharks

Future quotas

In the short term, launching bluefin fisheries off the south west of England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Crown Dependencies Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man would not require much of the international quota be set aside to run CHART-style catch, tag and release fisheries.

And when angling tourism starts bringing in much-needed money to hoteliers, restaurants, tackle shops, fishing charters and other small local businesses in our coastal communities, there should be scope to grow those fisheries further by securing more international quota in the future.

“While the current focus is on how this 0.25 per cent of quota might best be employed in 2021, Defra will undoubtedly be considering a longer-term strategy and policy for Atlantic bluefin tuna going forward,” explained Steve Murphy.

“If this programme does get the go-ahead then all of the data it gathers will be useful in informing future policy. Socio-economic studies looking at the most profitable uses of this finite resource are going to be essential. And transferring some of the cost of scientific research from the taxpayer to charter businesses catering for paying anglers makes sound financial sense.”

Individual fish average over 300lb

Kit for the job

One thing is certain, the usual rulebook on tackle and techniques will need to be torn up for anglers to be able to hook and bring these hard-fighting ocean predators to the side of the boat for safe release.

With individual fish averaging over 300lb – and occasional specimens approaching three times that – tuna fishing in UK waters will be as close to an extreme sport as angling can get. Whether any of these fish will equal the current largest bluefin ever caught in UK waters – an 852lb specimen landed by John Hedley Lewis fishing out of Scarborough in September 1949 – remains to be seen. But if eyewitness accounts are reliable, then numerous fish in that size range have been spotted feeding in UK waters over the past four years.

One recreational sea angler who has witnessed first-hand the growing number of bluefin off UK shores is former Angling Times journalist Greg Whitehead, who now lives in Guernsey.

He said:

“I’ve fished all over the world and I’ve never seen anything like the bluefin feeding around the Guernsey coast these past four years. The most I’ve seen at once was a school of around 2,000 fish blitzing a four-hectare ball of whitebait. Myself and other boat-owning friends have regularly sat among 1,000-plus feeding bluefin.

“All you can hear is the roar of white water. The air reeks of fish oil and giant tuna almost hit the boat in the frenzy. It’s an amazing sight!”

Let's hope common sense prevails on Brexit bait issue - Rob Hughes

Going to France for an annual carp fishing pilgrimage is something many big fish anglers have enjoyed in the past. Match and predator fishing fans have done likewise to places like Holland, Denmark and Spain, but sadly these jaunts are currently little more than distant memories. This isn’t just because of the dreaded Covid, but now also the new import and export regulations that are in place. Yep, Brexit has bitten back. 

There was a story on the news that, while almost laughable, has deeper connotations. A British truck driver was stopped going into Holland and had his ham sandwich confiscated. This is because cereal and meat-based products are not allowed to be taken into Europe without paperwork. 

While you may not be too concerned about your packed lunch, you’ll be more concerned about your boilies, groundbaits and maggots, as they’re on the banned list too! Then there’s the food we take – simple, innocuous things such the milk for cups of tea – and all manner of other things that we have taken for granted whenever we cross a border. 

The fear is that Europe will want to make an example of the UK, or try to prove a point, and that may well make life difficult for years to come. 

Let’s hope that common sense prevails, and when we do actually get to travel freely again – whether that’s this year or next – we won’t be met with the type of frosty reception the truck driver was forced to endure. 

Thinking of taking boilies in to Europe? Think again!

Bait 'exports' in jeopardy after Brexit

ANGLERS planning a fishing trip to a European country may be prohibited from taking their own bait under new EU-UK trade agreement guidelines.

Under the legislation, which came into force at the start of last month, popular baits derived from animal products, such as boilies, pellets and groundbaits, will require a European Health Certificate (EHC) before they can be moved between EU states.

At present, the EHC for exporting fishing bait falls into the same category as animal feed, which requires expensive testing and certification from a vet to attain. In response to the legislation, the Angling Trust has joined forces with manufacturers Dynamite Baits and Mainline to quiz the European Commission for clarification.

Mark Owen, the Trust’s Head of Freshwater, said:

“The current position will undoubtedly impact anglers purchasing bait in England to go fishing in Europe once Covid travel restrictions are lifted, as they would need to produce an EHC if challenged.

“We have retained active engagement with the EU Commission through our membership of the European Anglers Alliance and are pressing them to facilitate a change of EHC classification.”

Boilies will be one of the baits impacted under the restrictions