Calls from the Channel Islands to allow bluefin tuna fishing

Jersey and Guernsey fishing industries are calling for rules around bluefin tuna fishing to be relaxed.

Bluefin tuna were previously facing extinction and under current laws, fishing the species is prohibited due to dwindling stock.

But now that the species is no longer endangered, Guernsey States are exploring lifting the ban, with many in Jersey calling for similar measures.

Angling journalist Greg Whitehead said: "We could become one of the best big game fisheries on earth."

He added: "We'd be mad not to go all out to attract some of those anglers that are willing to pay £5,000-£6,000 a week to fish some of these amazing fisheries."

Guernsey's Committee for Economic Development must first apply to become a member of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) to be able to allow recreational or commercial fishing.

The committee has warned that “this will involve compliance and legal work involving officers of the Committee and DEFRA.”

Guernsey Nature Commission are calling for a cautious approach to allowing fishing of the species again.

Angela Salmon from the Commission said: "Bluefin Tuna used to be in our waters many many years ago and the population was seriously depleted by overfishing.

"So I think anything that we do now needs to be with caution so that we don't repeat history."

Jersey has been tagging tuna to monitor numbers and are sharing data with the UK, this information could be used to try to negotiate a deal to allow bluefin tuna to be caught.

The UK is currently limited to a quota of just 65 tonnes of bluefin tuna for 2024.

Jersey's Minister for the Environment, Deputy Steve Luce, says: "We are in a process of trying to obtain some quota to see whether we do catch and release or even catch a few tuna in the future for our fleet to become more profitable."