Atlantic bluefin tuna (latin: Thunnus thynnus) were once a common sight in UK waters, ranging throughout the Celtic and North Sea. However, they largely disappeared from British waters in the 1990s and only in recent years have they returned. In the last five years, Atlantic bluefin tuna have been frequently reported during the late summer, autumn and winter when they move into coastal areas of the UK to feed on energy rich fish, such as sprats and herring.

 

To learn more about bluefin tuna in our coastal waters, the “THUNNUS UK” project, with funding from EU Interreg IV (FISH-INTEL), UK Defra and from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund undertook a multi-year programme of research to develop a robust understanding of the ecology and distribution of these fish around the UK. The projected three aims:

 

1. To collate information on the presence and abundance of Atlantic bluefin tuna in UK waters using scientific and citizen science methods

2. To undertake a tagging programme with state of the art electronic tags to collect evidence on the seasonal migrations, seasonal residency and behaviour of bluefin tuna caught in UK waters

3. To provide information and advice to interested parties

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Click on the images below for more detail on each of the three goals and how to get involved, where applicable.