Two giant bluefin tunas have been caught off the coast of Whitby, Yorkshire, for the first time in over six decades, prompting researchers to call it a "success story" for marine conservation. The tunas, caught a day apart earlier this week, are the first to be caught for market from the North Sea since fishing licences were issued in July.
Professor Rodney Forster, head of the Hull marine laboratory at the University of Hull, described the tuna's reappearance as a "success story about the management of fisheries" in Britain. He noted that bluefin tuna were fished almost to extinction in their Mediterranean spawning grounds during the 1970s and 80s, but careful protection has led to increased populations now spreading back to their old grounds around the UK and into the Baltic Sea.
Bryce Stewart, a senior research fellow at the Marine Biological Association, called the return "fantastic," highlighting the work of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (Iccat) in re-establishing populations. Stewart stated that it is rare for large species to return to an area of sea once lost.
While fishery management is considered the primary reason for the tuna's return, both Forster and Stewart mentioned rising North Sea temperatures as another contributing factor. Warmer waters can benefit smaller fish like herring and sprat, which are a food source for tuna. Concerns remain that factors such as climate change, pollution, and illegal fishing could hinder the tuna's re-establishment, though there is hope for their continued thriving with proper management.
Calum Duncan, principal policy specialist at the Marine Conservation Society, lauded the regeneration but warned that consistent care and British fishing policies prioritising marine ecology are crucial for the tuna's continued survival. He emphasised that such returns demonstrate that environmental decline can be managed through good decisions and collaborative efforts.