22 September 2026
The return of the Atlantic bluefin tuna to the North Sea is a remarkable conservation success story. After being absent for more than fifty years, these impressive predators are once again being regularly observed in northern waters. This is positive news for biodiversity in the North Sea. Precisely for this reason, Good Fish, Compassion in World Farming Netherlands, North Sea Foundation, and the Dierencoalitie (Dutch platform of 16 animal welfare NGO’s) believe that caution is now required.
In a joint letter to Dutch Member of Parliament Peter Erkens, the organizations are calling for no targeted fishery for Atlantic bluefin tuna in the North Sea and for the current bycatch regulations not to be expanded.
For many years, the Atlantic bluefin tuna was a symbol of overfishing. Thanks to strict international management measures, the stock has recovered in recent years. However, this success does not automatically mean that there is room for a new fishery in the North Sea.
Although the species has returned, much essential knowledge is still lacking. Scientists do not yet know enough about how many tuna visit the North Sea, how long they remain there, what proportion of the total Atlantic stock they represent, or whether younger generations are also using this migration route. The fish currently being observed are often large, mature individuals that make an important contribution to the species’ reproduction.
Removing these animals from the population could have consequences that extend beyond simple numbers. Scientists suspect that migration behaviour in tuna is at least partly learned from older individuals. If these experienced fish disappear, there is a risk that the route to the North Sea could once again be lost.
A research programme is currently underway in the United Kingdom, where Atlantic bluefin tuna are being fitted with electronic tags to better understand their migration patterns. The results are not yet available. According to the signatories of the letter, it is therefore premature to discuss commercial fishing opportunities at this stage.
Good Fish advocates for increased research over the coming years, including additional tagging studies in the Dutch sector of the North Sea. Only with sufficient scientific data can future policy decisions be made responsibly.
In addition to proposals for a targeted fishery, discussions are also taking place about increasing the permitted bycatch of Atlantic bluefin tuna. The organizations point out that the Netherlands does not have its own quota for this species and that the available European bycatch allowance is limited.
At the same time, a single large Atlantic bluefin tuna represents considerable market value. This creates a strong financial incentive to actively target such catches. Without robust monitoring and enforcement, the risk of illegal or unreported catches increases significantly.
The return of the Atlantic bluefin tuna demonstrates that nature can recover when management measures are effective. However, past success is no guarantee for the future.
That is why Good Fish and the co-signatories are calling for this iconic species to be left undisturbed for the time being, for scientific research to be prioritised, and for the development of the North Sea population to be carefully monitored. We had to wait more than half a century for the return of the Atlantic bluefin tuna. Let us not allow history to repeat itself.
Read the full joint letter to Dutch Member of Parliament Peter Erkens here.