Welsh-caught bluefin tuna sold to the public for the first time
The first five bluefin tuna landed at Milford Haven under a Welsh Government trial have been processed and sold locally, the Welsh Government said on Friday. It called it a milestone for the Welsh fishing industry. The fish were caught earlier this month.
Bluefin trial
- Tuna landed and sold
- 5
- Landing ports
- Milford Haven, Holyhead
- Maximum vessel length
- 12m
Where it was sold
The tuna were processed at a premises in Burry Port. Most was sold to the public at a Saturday walk-in fish market. The rest, including the fins, frames and heads, went out through a nationwide home delivery service.
How the trial works
Fishers in the commercial-scientific trial use rod and reel only, record every catch in detail and land at Milford Haven or Holyhead. In return for the extra data they can target bluefin tuna in specified areas of the Welsh zone. They must hold a UK commercial fishing licence but no existing bluefin licence or permit, complete specific training, use a vessel of 12 metres or under and keep every trip under 24 hours.
What the minister said
Llyr Gruffydd, the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability, said the landings showed how fishers could combine tradition with science to build a sustainable future for bluefin tuna in Wales. Teddy Whitall, managing director of Whitfish Ltd, said buying and selling the first commercially caught bluefin landed in Wales was the start of a new chapter for Welsh fishing.
What next
Fishers hope to land more tuna in the coming weeks, weather permitting. The trial uses a separate portion of the UK's 2026 bluefin quota and does not reduce the quota for the UK commercial fishery or the recreational fishery in Wales and England. It is intended to inform how the fishery operates in future years.