Tuesday, August 2, 2022 - 08:53

SPECIAL REPORT by PETER TABERNER

The Bluefin tuna fishing season is now well underway, and the government is again ensuring that the time of year goes ahead smoothly resulting in Gibraltar’s waters not being over fished.

Anglers were informed on June 16 that they were permitted to catch this special breed of tuna by the Department of the Environment, Sustainability, Heritage and Climate Change (DESHCC).
Although it requires a Class K licence to fish for the tuna.
Overall the allowance of the tuna that can be caught is 21 tonnes, which this year will be split into two parts.
Quota
The first part of the quota spans between June 16 and July 25 and was set at 19 tonnes of the tuna, yet if the limit has been reached before the closing date then the season would be temporarily closed.
While the second part of the quota will allow the further two tonnes, taking the full catch up to the agreed limit, and that will stretch from August 6 up to October 14.
If the two tonne limit is reached before the end of that period, then again the season will be suspended.