Guidance

Safeguards & Procedures

Published 4 September 2025

© Crown copyright 2025

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bluefin-tuna-catch-release-recreational-fishery-crrf-guidance/safeguards-procedures

1. Fishery design

  • MMO and Defra partnered with stakeholders (Angling Trust, Professional Boatman’s Association (PBA), UK Bluefin Tuna Association (UKBFTA), Cefas and Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities) to co-design the bluefin tuna (BFT) 2025 catch and release recreational fishery (CRRF) fishery. 
  • This included increasing permits from 93 (2024) to 142 (2025) and updating eligibility and over subscription criteria and reporting requirements.

2. Permit application and prioritisation

  • A permit from the MMO is required to join the English BFT CRRF. 
  • For 2025 applications were open from 6 May to 2 June 2025

2.1 In order to be eligible for a permit applicants were required to:

  • Not hold a commercial BFT authorisation or other CRRF permit for 2025. 
  • Have a vessel greater than 5 m long, be motor-powered, and UK-registered. 
  • Submit a photo showing registration markings. 
  • Hold a valid SCV certificate if they are a charter vessel.
  • Permits were limited; with priority given to those applicants with UK experience of BFT fishing and verifiable training. 
  • Around 50% of permit holders in 2025 had previous UK experience and/or training.

3. Permit conditions

Successful applicants were given a permit for the CRRF from 18 July – 30 November 2025. This permit had the following conditions which permit holders must abide by:

  • Rod and line fishing gear must only be used; no live bait chumming is allowed. 

  • ‘Catch and release’ BFT fishing must be in English waters only. 

  • All tuna must be released unharmed where possible. 

  • Tuna must not be removed from the sea, brought aboard a vessel, transferred to any other vessel or landed. 

  • A trained individual must be aboard for each trip. 

  • All activity must be reported within 24 hours. 

  • Permit holders are encouraged to abide by the code of conduct developed by UKBFTA, Angling Trust, PBA, Cefas and Natural England.

Non-compliance may result in permit removal and rejection of future applications.

4. Catch reporting

Permit holders were provided with training on how to complete reports as well as a video tutorial they could refer to. In the training MMO also highlighted the importance of reporting and accurately detailing incidental mortalities, and shared a leaflet with permit holders on this matter. 

For each trip, a report must be made and submitted within 24 hours including the following information: 

  • Permit number, vessel and master details 

  • Date, number of tuna caught (or zero) 

  • Length of each fish 

  • Whether released alive or dead 

  • Fight and release times (voluntary) 

MMO is monitoring reporting activity and will produce in-season and post season reports.

5. Compliance and inspections 

  • MMO apply the principles of intelligence and risk to establish inspection regimes.   

  • Inspections can target vessels at sea and in port, in markets and premises, and vehicle inspections to establish compliance.  

  • Where infringements are identified, MMO apply all actions based on our published Compliance and Enforcement Strategy. 

More information is available here

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