Current rules prohibit the landing of bluefin tuna in the Bailiwick’s territorial waters and in order for Guernsey to consider a commercial or recreational fishery, it must first seek membership of ICCAT – the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas – a process it began in January last year.
But there is no timetable for the issue of any licences locally.
A spokesman for Jersey’s department of Infrastructure & Environment said it was hoping to have the structure in place for the Minister for the Environment to issue up to five catch-and-release charter licenses in August.
‘This is following three years of research work with Exeter University and Defra alongside work with Defra policy team to have ratification of ICCAT extended to Jersey,’ he said.
‘We have shared our policy team work with Guernsey to assist in progress and the research is applicable to both islands, Guernsey having kindly granted access to its waters for the study.’
Supported by advice from Exeter University, the Jersey government produced a detailed report on the prospects for a commercial bluefin fishery in Jersey waters as far back as 2020, which was updated in 2022.
Work included scientific satellite tagging of individual tuna who have subsequently been tracked as far as the Irish Sea, the Bay of Biscay and the eastern Channel.
A Sea Fisheries spokesman said that Guernsey officers were still working with the UK government on the extension of ICCAT to the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
‘This has involved a compliance review of the legal framework in place locally, and whether further changes might be required before extension,’ he said.
Angler Greg Whitehead said he would be interested in applying for a catch-and-release licence in Guernsey but he was concerned this was some way off.
‘I’m very disappointed we haven’t done anything,’ he said.
‘If we had jumped through the same hoops as Jersey we would be able to start a fishery ourselves.
‘All our fisheries legislation is out of date and we don’t have anyone pushing to take advantage of what is an important natural resource.’
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