The Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Janet Finch-Saunders MS, has today called for clarity around whether a catch and release tagging pilot programme for tuna in Welsh waters will be given a green light ahead of the start of the tuna season next month. The intervention comes as fishermen hoping to catch, tag and release bluefin tuna have told BBC News that they have been treated with "no respect" by the Welsh Government.
No announcement has been made on whether Welsh anglers can catch the fish, despite a scheme being approved in England. To secure clarity for stakeholders, and in a Written Question to the Minister for Climate Change, the Member for Aberconwy asked:
Will the Welsh Government give the go-ahead for a tuna catch and release tagging (Chart) programme to run from 16 August to 17 November as in England?
Commenting on the need for clarity, Janet said:
“These decisions should always be led by the data and stakeholders should be consulted on potential options. To hear that the Welsh Federation of Sea Anglers are unhappy with the lack of progress made in the discussions about a pilot scheme shows that the administration has been dragging its feet.
“The dates of the tuna season are well-known, and so I cannot fathom how a decision from Welsh Government has not already been reached. So as to gain clarity on behalf of all involved, I have submitted an urgent Written Question to the Minister and her officials.
“Whilst I broadly support tagging, I remain clear that any pilot programme would need to produce robust data that could contribute to the sustainable management of tuna stock. It would also have to avoid contributing to stock mortality and add to the effective long-term management of the stock within UK waters and internationally.”
ENDS
Photo: by Thomas Vimare on Unsplash
