Bluefin Tuna Regulations Explained

15 Jul 2014 --- The Marine Management Organization (MMO) has clarified its role and the regulations around the catching of Bluefin Tuna following media coverage about catching such fish off the Cornwall coast in England.

The MMO said it has not seized the fish caught this weekend. It has been donated to the University of Exeter for research purposes.

The MMO strongly discourages any catching of the species. Where unavoidable catches (such as by-catch) are taken the tuna should be released alive and unharmed to the greatest extent possible.

The UK supports the work of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)  in its efforts to ensure the future sustainability of bluefin tuna. 

The MMO regulates commercial fisheries in the seas around England, within quota limits set by the European Commission. The UK has no quota to catch this species. Countries which have quota are listed on the EC website.    

As set out in our annual statistics publication virtually all tuna available for use in the UK is imported from abroad. In 2012 the UK imported 89,700 tonnes of tuna, worth £290.9 million.