Bluefin tuna (BFT) commercial fishery within UK waters
Source: gov.uk (2025-05-13)

Bluefin tuna (BFT) commercial fishery within UK waters.

Update: Commercial bluefin tuna fishing 2025

A panel chaired by MMO has now completed assessment of the 132 commercial fishing applications for 15 licence authorisations to fish for 45 tonnes of eastern Atlantic bluefin tuna in English and Scottish waters this year.

All applicants have been emailed to let them know the outcome of their applications ahead of the fishery opening on 1 July and closing 31 December 2025. Unfortunately, MMO is unable to provide detailed feedback on a case-by-case basis due to the number of applications received.

Successful applicants will need to respond to the MMO email to accept and complete mandatory training prior to licence authorisations being granted.

What is prohibited?

Commercial targeting of BFT is prohibited unless authorised in your fishing licence.

BFT should be released alive and unharmed to the greatest extent possible; logbook vessels must record the discard.

For the protection and conservation of BFT there is a minimum conservation reference size (MCRS). For bluefin tuna caught in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean the MCRS is 30kg or 115cm (fork length).

If the BFT cannot be returned to the sea alive UK vessels must:
- record all BFT by-catch.
- report and land all dead BFT above MCRS.
- discard all dead BFT below MCRS, vessels must record all discards.
Every BFT landed must be accompanied with an ICCAT Electronic Bluefin Tuna Catch Document (eBCD). It is the fisher’s responsibility to complete. For assistance, please contact xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Permitted BFT fishery through licence authorisation

For 2025 the UK has 66.15 tonnes of BFT quota.

The UK will use 45 tonnes of the quota to continue to the UK commercial fishery for vessels fishing with low-impact rod and reel gears. Licence authorisations will be available for up to 15 vessels, accessed through an application process. The 45 tonnes of quota will be split equally between the successful applicants, resulting in each authorisation receiving 3 tonnes of quota.

Commercial fishing vessels from England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland may apply to take part, but fishing for and landing BFT will not be permitted in Welsh or Northern Irish waters in 2025.

The fishery is expected to be open from 1 July to 31 December 2025 subject to vessel’s ICCAT registry, with the quota managed by the MMO who reserve the right to re-distribute quota if required during the year.

Licence authorisations will be non-transferable and valid for the 2025 fishing season only. Licence authorisations will not provide successful applicants with a track record for future quota considerations and provide no guarantee of access to bluefin tuna quota in future.

The authorisation will allow a controlled number of vessels the ability to land and sell BFT, provided reporting conditions are met. Failure to meet these conditions can result in an authorisation being suspended or removed.

Eligibility criteria

Commercial fishing licence holders who meet specific mandatory criteria can apply to take part. The criteria is aligned with the UK’s commitment to meeting the requirements set by ICCAT and contributing to the sustainable management of the stock internationally.

To apply for a BFT licence authorisation applicants must:
- Have a commercial fishing licence and be registered in either England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.
- Apply for a vessel of 12 metres and under in overall length.
- Agree to have individual fishing trips last less than 24 hours in duration.
- Agree to use rod and reel fishing gears only. No chumming will be permitted.
- Agree to record all catches of bluefin tuna and submit an eBCD record for all landings (see reporting conditions).
- Land catches in designated ports – see designated port list (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/designated-ports).
Applicants cannot hold both a commercial BFT authorisation and a recreational CRRF BFT permit for the same vessel.

When completing the commercial BFT application form applicants will be asked to select which permit they would wish to receive if they were successful in both.

MMO and Defra reserve the right to take account of previous infringements by applicants when assessing applications.

How to enter an application for the 2025 BFT commercial fishery

Quota for the BFT commercial fishery will be distributed through an application process.

The 2025 application form can be accessed from 20 March 2025, with the application period closing at midnight on 21 April 2025. Applications submitted outside this period will not be considered.

Online application form (https://submit.forms.service.gov.uk/form/6509/application-to-fish-atlantic-bluefin-tuna-thunnus-thynnus-2025)

Application rules:
- Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria and submit an application within the application period. Applications submitted outside this period will not be considered.
- Answer all mandatory questions. Incomplete application forms will not be considered and will cause your application to be unsuccessful.
- Applications must be completed on an individual basis per vessel. No group applications will be accepted or applications for more than one vessel per application.
- Applicants will be required to complete vessel, nominee, and owner details.
- Applicants will also need to provide answers to two questions which relate to how applicants are best placed to deliver an environmentally sustainable fishery which brings economic and social benefits to the UK.
- Consideration will also be given to an applicant’s history of compliance with regulatory requirements relating to fishing.
In the event that an applicant is successful through the commercial application process, and the applicant chooses to accept the commercial authorisation, they will be ineligible to apply for a the recreational CRRF BFT permit for the same vessel.
- In submitting your application, you agree that the MMO will retain your information until the closed of the 2025 season.
If you experience any problems completing this application, contact the UK single issuing authority (UKSIA) before the close of the application period at xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

If you need to complete an offline version of this form or a paper version, please contact xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx) A pdf version of the application is available here:
- Application Form - PDF version (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67dbec8f0f38d929e57ee316/20251403_OFFICIAL_Commercial_Application_Bluefin_Tuna_2025_DP.pdf) (PDF, 210 KB, 14 pages)
Unfortunately, due to the volume of applications received individual feedback will not be provided.

Next Steps

Due to the commitments made in the 2025 UK fishing plan to ICCAT there are a limited number of authorisations available. Application submissions does not automatically guarantee you success in receiving a BFT commercial authorisation and you must not fish for BFT without an authorisation from the MMO.

The application assessment process is as follows:
- Once the application period closes all identifying details will be redacted from your application to be entered into the blind sift. Each application will be allocated a number, so no personal details are seen during the sift.
- During the blind sift, a panel of MMO and Defra colleagues will individually assess each application in relation to the two questions on how applicants are best placed to deliver an environmentally sustainable fishery which brings economic and social benefits to the UK. A moderation exercise will be completed where required.
- Only applications that score 3 or 4 (information on scoring is available in the application) on both questions will be included in the random selection.
- A random selection will then take place. The random selection order will be stored and will provide MMO a list of the order the authorisations to be issued in.
MMO will notify successful applicants in late May. Successful applicants will be given five working days to accept the authorisation. Failing to accept within this timeframe may result in the MMO offering the authorisation to a fisher on the reserved list.

Licence authorisations will be non-transferable and valid for the 2025 fishing season only. Licence authorisations will not provide successful applicants with a track record for future quota considerations and provide no guarantee of access to BFT quota in future.

If you are successful, you will receive an authorisation letter to fish BFT, this is in addition to your domestic licence. Fishing for BFT must not commence until you have received the letter of authorisation.

Prior to commencing fishing for BFT those whose applications are successful will be required to do the following:
- Register their vessel on the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) registry via the MMO. Fishing must not begin until 15 days after the successful vessel details appear on the ICCAT registry.
- Register on the ICCAT Electronic Bluefin Tuna Catch Document Programme (eBCD) online system.
- Complete Electronic Bluefin Tuna Catch Document (eBCD) online training carried out by the MMO to understand the system. The successful applicants will be requested to submit test data prior to licence being authorised to ensure they can comply with the requirements.
During fishing for BFT successful applicants must:
- Comply with all conditions within their domestic fishing vessel licence and additional conditions contained within the authorisation.
- Only fish for bluefin tuna within the UK Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), excluding Northern Irish and Welsh waters.
- Have individual fishing trips last less than 24 hours in duration.
- Use rod and reel fishing gears only, with no chumming permitted.
- Record all catches using paper or electronic logbooks at sea.
- Report all catches to the UK Fisheries Monitoring Centre (UKFMC) or UK single liaison office (UKSLO).
- Report all catches on the ICCAT eBCD system.
It is paramount that all landed BFT has an eBCD record linked to the landing. Further guidance and information will be provided.

If you have any questions or comments, please send them to: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Key dates:
- 20 March to 21 April – Application submission period.
- 21 April to late May – Application review process
- Late May – Notification of outcome issued to applicants.
- Late May to Mid-June – Successful applicants register on ICCAT and undertake eBCD reporting training.
- Late June – Licences issued.
- From 1 July to 31 December 2025 – Fishery period opens.
Landing dead BFT and reporting conditions

UK vessels landing BFT are able to land at any UK designated port (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/designated-ports/designated-ports-for-uk-flagged-vessels-landing-bluefin-tuna). If you are unable to reach a designated port seek advice from the UK Fisheries Monitoring Centre (UKFMC).

When an English commercial vessel intends to sell by-caught or licenced caught BFT which is dead, they are to prepare, pack and store the BFT for sale as per usual.

Traders who wish to buy English caught BFT will need to be an authorised registered tuna trader and a registered buyer of first sale fish (RBS) if buying directly from vessels. Traders need to request registration before the sale with either the MMO UK single liaison office or UKFMC.

Traders are also responsible for checking legitimacy of the landed BFT. All landings must be accompanied with an eBCD.

Notifications

Alongside standard reporting requirements, all UK vessels must report all by-caught (or trial caught) BFT which is dead to the MMO UK single liaison office or the UKFMC 4 hours before landing.

If unable to report at least 4 hours before landing, vessels must report as soon as reasonably possible. These vessels may not land the by-catch until prior authorisation has been granted by the MMO UK single liaison office or UKFMC.
- When reporting between the hours of 08:00 – 17:00 GMT Monday – Friday report this by-catch to the MMO UK single liaison office (UKSLO) on xx-xxxx-xxxx or xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)
- When reporting between the hours of 17:00 – 08:00 GMT Monday – Friday and weekends report this by-catch to the UKFMC on xx-xxxx-xxxx or xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)
When reporting ensure you have the following information ready:
- total BFT weight.
- number caught.
- vessel details.
- licence details.
- designated port of landing.
- trader details, if selling.
Landing or selling BFT without a completed and validated catch document (eBCD) is prohibited.

Once the eBCD is validated, vessels will receive confirmation via email or phone.

English and Welsh administered vessels under 10 metres will need to submit a catch record no later than completion of landing using the Catch Application (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/record-your-catch).

Scottish administered vessels of 10-12 metres must record this by-catch in their paper logbook. Scottish administered vessels of under 10 metres must record it on their weekly FISH1 return.