Satellite-tagged Atlantic bluefin tuna are being tracked in Scottish waters to understand their recent appearance there. Angus Campbell, a boat operator from Harris, made the first recorded rod-line catch of a bluefin in Scotland while fishing off the Western Isles and is now working with Marine Scotland on the project.
Warming sea temperatures and increased herring and mackerel are thought to be drawing the tuna to Scotland. Three tuna caught off St Kilda have been tagged, with the fish tracked so far to the Azores and the Bay of Biscay. The study could lead to recreational catch-and-release fishing in Scotland.
Atlantic bluefin tuna are the largest and most endangered of the three bluefin species, with most catches from the Mediterranean. The European Commission enforces strict harvesting rules. Funding for the tagging scheme comes from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, and the European Fisheries Fund.
Anne MacAulay from HIE said: 'The tuna study aims to support ocean science research, enabling us to gain a wider understanding of the marine life in the Outer Hebrides and the opportunities it presents for economic development.' Francis Neat, a Marine Scotland researcher, added: 'By working with Angus we were able to satellite tag three of these giant fish last year. The information we received suggests that the tuna swam thousands of miles and dived to depths in excess of 1,000m.'
