First bluefin tuna caught this year weighs 284 kilos | Funchal News | Madeira News – Information from everyone to everyone!

The first bluefin tuna of the year was unloaded this Tuesday at the Funchal auction, says a note from Teófilo Cunha’s Secretariat. Measuring 2.54 meters in length and weighing 284 kilograms, the tuna was purchased for 3,396 euros, to be sold in the fish market at Mercado dos Lavradores.

The capture was made by the vessel ‘Débora Marisa’, off Cabo Girão. And, given the size of the capture, the moment of unloading gathered dozens of curious people next to the auction.

“It is already a tradition that the capture of the first bluefin tuna of the year is signaled, because it is an impressive fish with great commercial value”, said the regional secretary for Sea and Fisheries, who accompanied the unloading.

Last year, and up to the end of November, 97,451 tonnes of bluefin tuna were unloaded at regional ports. An increase of 1.85% compared to 2021, which represented a turnover of 806 thousand euros related to the first auction sale. An increase of 55.46% over the value recorded in 2021.

In 2022, the catch record was set by a bluefin tuna weighing 418 kilos.

“We want to increase the value chain of this fish, to bring more income to fishermen and shipowners. We know that it is a highly valued fish abroad, and we are attentive to opportunities”, said Teófilo Cunha.

The annual quota for bluefin tuna is around 200 tonnes, split roughly equally between Madeira and the Azores. In recent years, it was only in 2020 that this value was reached by the regional fleet, in a year in which 111.11 tons were captured.

Bluefin tuna fishing obeys two moments. The first, the current one, is that of incidental or accidental fishing, in which any vessel is authorized to do so. Even so, it is conditioned to one discharge per day and forced to proceed with counterparts, which include the capture of other species.

At the end of the year, bluefin tuna caught in by-catch fishing cannot exceed 20% of the total amount of fish unloaded by that vessel. The second moment, which has not yet opened, is that of directed fishing, in which only authorized vessels can participate, using the art of jumping and pole, clarifies the government statement.