Further to WQ82865, will the Minister state by when she expects the plan to be completed, and clarify whether the project will be required to support well-defined research needs, and use robust and appropriate methods that minimise risk to the animals?
We are working with stakeholders to develop an Eastern Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (BFT) tagging project in Wales. This will improve our scientific knowledge of this species as part of a broader programme of UK and European research.
It is anticipated the first tagging will take place this year in line with UK’s ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) approved monitoring plan.
Fish welfare is the overriding principle being used to design the capture methodology of the program and only appropriately trained and supervised skippers will be permitted to oversee the catch, tag and release of BFT.
Any specimens captured for the first time will yield valuable data about their population size, age structures and seasonal activity hotspots in Welsh waters. Any subsequent recaptures or tag returns will provide further valuable information about their migration routes and growth patterns.