Giant bluefin tuna caught off Saint Malo reignites fishing debate

Tuesday 23 August 2022

A giant bluefin tuna weighing 70kg has been caught in waters not far from Jersey.

Last week, Saint Malo fisherman Paul-Henry Jehanno and his crew caught the first bluefin tuna ever landed at the town’s fish market and auction house.

“After a fight of nearly three hours, we managed to get it on board,” Mr Jehanno told the Ouest-France newspaper.

“We are delighted with this success, because most of our attempts to catch this species are unsuccessful.”

Each French boat has a quota of five catches per year, and only fish over 1.15m can be bought and sold at the criée.

Pictured: The super-catch was celebrated by the Port of Saint Malo on social media.

The catch has reignited a debate over whether the species should be able to be caught and landed in Jersey’s waters, where their numbers have multiplied in recent years.

Bluefin tuna is a protected under the island’s Wildlife Law and cannot be caught or targeted.

However, Jersey Fishermen’s Association president Don Thompson said the latest catch was further evidence that a rethink was needed.

Pictured: A shoal of bluefin tuna in Jersey's territorial waters.

“The issue of bluefin tuna was something we raised with the Fisheries team and previous minister,” he said.

“We really need to be adaptable to the new species moving into our waters, in order to take the pressure off our traditional – but diminishing – stocks of crab and lobster.

“Tuna wasn’t banned; then it was, which I think was a retrograde step. We really need an alternative to crab and lobster."

Pictured: A large 8 kg octopus was caught off Jersey earlier this summer.

He continued: “We have landed some fantastic octopus this summer, including one that was 11kg, so we are getting new and valuable species coming into our waters.

"We haven't seen octopus like that in our waters since 1965.

“Our traditional species are diminishing - new ones are prevalent. The rules need to change with the times.”