Scheme expanded to fish for more big game in South West waters

The next step of the scheme will run until December 2022

A scheme aiming to provide scientific data about Atlantic Bluefin Tuna in the South West has been expanded.

It comes after a Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) funded pilot was launched in 2021.

It is hoped the findings will bring benefits and an economic boost to coastal communities.

The scheme has been expanded from 15 to 25 licenced boats.

About 700 tuna were caught off the region's coast, tagged and then released last year in a bid to understand the species.

The initial pilot ran from August to November 2021, and this year will run until December.

Skipper Mark Jury said: "Everyone benefits from people coming to fish for tuna. The actual economic benefit from that is huge."

Victoria Prentis, Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said: "It will be really interesting to find out how many fish we've got in our waters and why, what is attracting them to our waters and where specifically they are coming from."

• Hear more about the scheme from BBC Radio Cornwall.

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