The bluefin tuna fishery closes today for most seiners, but illegal fishing will continue because of the total lack of effective control measures. Oceana documents illegal fishing and landing of tons of bluefin tuna that occurs constantly and with complete impunity in the South Tyrrhenian, one of the most important spawning areas for this species in the Mediterranean.
The bluefin tuna fishery closes today for most industrial seiners, except for those that have requested additional days due to bad weather. The fishing season was marked by illegality and lack of transparency. Oceana points to the Italian and Turkish fleets as the main cause of overfishing.
Oceana also points out that the end of the seining season does not imply that illegal bluefin tuna fishing activities will stop. On 21 May at dawn, Oceana observers witnessed the illegal landing of 20 large bluefin tunas in the port of Porticello (Sicily), with an approximate total weight of 2 tons, caught by various longliners. Neither the port nor the vessels were authorised to land bluefin tuna.