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For the first time in approximately six decades, Atlantic bluefin tuna have been caught off the Yorkshire coast. These formidable fish had not been spotted in the North Sea since the 1960s, a disappearance attributed to overfishing and the decline of herring shoals, according to researchers at the University of Exeter. Recently, the team tagged six bluefin tuna near Whitby, marking a significant event in the species’ presence in the area.
A five-member crew aboard the fishing boat The Dominator landed an impressive 338kg tuna on Sunday. The following day, the crew caught another large specimen, only slightly smaller, according to Jack Gardner, one of the crew members. Gardner, aged 28 and hailing from Paull near Hull, described the experience as the “best feeling ever” and declared that he had never caught anything comparable before. The crew was positioned about 10 miles from Whitby Harbour when the first fish was hooked. Gardner recalled the moment vividly: the fish jumped out of the water, leaving the crew astonished and unable to believe their luck.
The moment came when the crew noticed a flock of birds and decided to investigate the area, hoping it might lead them to the elusive tuna. “We knew they were in the waters, it was just whether we could catch them or not because they are fast fish,” Gardner explained. After a challenging struggle that saw the fish dragged over five miles, the crew successfully landed the catch. Gardner spoke about the strength of the fish, noting that the fight was more intense than anticipated. The rarity and value of the catch were underscored by the fact that it had already been sold before the boat returned to Whitby. The buyer, Lance Varrell from Hook to Plate, praised the quality of the fish and spoke about its demand in restaurants, sushi markets, and among individual customers. Varrell described bluefin tuna as “very popular” and “the Rolls Royce of the sea,” adding that top chefs in London would pay up to £100 per kilo for exceptional specimens.
Historically, the area around Scarborough and Whitby gained international fame for game fishing during the interwar period, largely due to the size of tuna, which were colloquially known as “tunny.” The British record for the largest tuna, a 386kg specimen, was set in Whitby in 1933. The region attracted celebrities such as John Wayne and Errol Flynn, who visited to take part in the sport. The Scarborough Tunny Club, established in the 1930s and frequented by actors and aristocrats, still exists today as a fish and chip restaurant. Although the pastime declined during World War II, it resumed afterward; however, by the 1950s, tuna stocks were dwindling due to advances in commercial fishing technology. In more recent years, bluefin tuna have made a comeback along the southwest coast of England after a long absence.
Since 2018, researchers from the University of Exeter have tagged 165 bluefin tuna around the Atlantic coast of England, Wales, and Jersey. A spokesperson noted that the tuna recently found near Whitby are notably larger and might be genetically distinct from previously tagged individuals. Dr. Lucy Hawkes, who leads the research, attributed the return of bluefin tuna to “some careful and judicious management of fisheries,” highlighting that the UK’s current quota for bluefin tuna fishing is very limited compared to the overall stock. She added that bluefin tuna, being apex predators, can only thrive if the underlying marine ecosystem is healthy. Dr. Hawkes remarked, “Essentially their presence is a good way of signalling your waters are doing well, but we have no idea where they’ve come from – which is why tagging is so important.” She emphasized the team’s goal to track the movements and behavior of these fish over the coming years to better understand their origins and migratory patterns
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