Bluefin tuna: Sea giant returns to the North Sea
After a long absence, there are more and more sightings of bluefin tuna in the North Sea. Experts see this development as positive for the fish population.
For decades, the Atlantic tuna had disappeared from our latitudes. On the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the gigantic fish is listed as “threatened with extinction” due to overfishing. But in recent years, the bluefin tuna, also known as bluefin tuna, has been sighted more frequently again on its migration between the Mediterranean and the North Sea.
In the waters of the Skagerrak, the strait between Denmark, Norway and Sweden, scientists at the Institute of Aquatic Resources at the Technical University of Denmark are researching the return and migratory behavior of tuna that spawn in the Mediterranean and the Gulf of Mexico. With the help of big-fish anglers, the researchers attach measuring devices to the animals. Calculations and assessments at an international level help to develop realistic catch quotas.
The experts see the increased number of sightings as a sign of the recovery of fish stocks. This is apparently due to strict fishing bans and the fight against illegal fishing. The developments will continue to be monitored in order to be able to intervene if necessary. According to the animal welfare organization WWF, however, there are still many uncertainties in the stock assessment.
Return to German waters possible
Philipp Kanstinger, fisheries expert at the WWF, was optimistic. Kanstinger believes it is possible that the Atlantic tuna could soon be seen in the German Bight. “It may well be that we will see bluefin tuna here in the next few years,” he told the “Kreiszeitung”. This is particularly conceivable in the area around Heligoland.
The bluefin tuna lives in the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. There is also a population on the coast of South Africa. The fish undertake long migrations, including through the North Sea. The largest fish ever caught was around 4.5 meters long, and the heaviest fish weighed more than 600 kilograms. Its meat has become a sought-after delicacy over the past five decades. Excessive fishing and the global sushi boom have caused the fish population to shrink rapidly worldwide.
In addition to overfishing, climate change and built-up coasts are also causing problems for fish stocks. According to a study, these factors are also weakening populations in the world’s oceans. Scientists are therefore closely monitoring developments to ensure that previous mistakes are not repeated.
