Tagging Bluefin Tuna in Monaco
Keeping a bluefin tuna on board is totally prohibited in Monegasque waters. It is tolerated under certain conditions in French and Italian waters. In any case, there is no way or reason to keep a Blue Fin Tuna onboard during a fishing trip. We are using specific fishing techniques to release our catches. All Blue Fin Tunas will be “Tag and Released”.
Why tagging tunas in Monaco
Tag and Release
is a technique of catch and release fishing in which the angler attaches a tag to the fish, records data such as date, time, place and type of fish on a standardized postcard and submits this card to a scientific agency or conservation organization. Anglers who catch tagged fish report it to established points of contact.
The involvement of recreational fisheries in this project is strategic under several points of views. First of which, is key to impact all important stakeholders in terms of awareness and conservation issues regarding Blue Fin Tuna. Through the definition of best practices for catch and release, we aim at improving survival rates on Blue Fin Tuna that will be beneficial for that species.
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They'll Get Bigger
It goes without saying that once a fish has its sides knocked off and is given a grease bath it cannot grow to be a trophy. Practicing catch and release is one of the best ways to increase your future chances of catching bigger, trophy size fish. By letting the juveniles go, when they get bigger, they can then reproduce and thus perpetuate the species.
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Pay It Forward
Catch and release also benefits all future Anglers of a fishery. This becomes especially important in heavily pressured or urban areas. A limit of 25 panfish may not seem like a lot, but if just 100 Anglers get their limits 10 times a summer, they will remove 25,000 fish from the fishery. That's a lot!
Practicing catch and release, or at least limiting harvest to just a meal's worth ensures quality fishing opportunities for more Anglers, which is good for the angling community.
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Don't Be Egoist
By practicing catch and release you will enable the next generations to enjoy the pleasure of recreational fishing. Stock fish are not unlimited; it is our actions that will define our future.