Environment Minister John Young has signed a ministerial decision to protect Atlantic bluefin tuna – completely blocking access to the species for any vessel as of later this year.
Currently French crews can fish for the species in Jersey waters – in an area between three and 12 miles from the shoreline – as France has a quota to catch the fish. UK charter vessels can also access the species in the same area.
But under changes to the Conservation of Wildlife (Jersey) Law 2000 any catching of tuna in the area will be banned. The law will come into force later this year.
Don Thompson, president of the Jersey Fishermen’s Association, said the announcement ‘pushes further away’ any hope of fishermen being able to catch tuna in Jersey. It had been said an industry in Jersey could be worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Atlantic bluefin tuna is listed as ‘endangered’ by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The IUCN recommends species recovery as a means of protecting the species.
Mr Thompson told the JEP: ‘There were two potential problems previously in that French vessels could catch tuna in our waters and there was also scope for UK charter vessels that are not regulated fishing vessels to come and catch tuna in our waters. That has now been addressed.
‘What we don’t fully comprehend is how EU states such as France are covered by ICAAT [International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas] and are being allowed to increase fishing effort for tuna because the state of stocks is known to be improving. How is it we tackle it by putting it on a no-catch list when other states are using available science to fish it?’
Mr Thompson had previously made the calls to allow local fishermen to catch tuna after anecdotal evidence of hundreds being seen in local waters.
Fishermen have long raised concerns about the pressure being put on traditional stocks of lobster and crab because of a lack of diversity in what fishermen can catch.
Deputy Young said in a statement: ‘By prohibiting the landing of Atlantic bluefin tuna, Jersey is joining international efforts to protect the stock for generations to come.’
