The word “conservation” can mean different things to different people and can be a dangerous term to bandy about. Take the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas for instance. One might think that this was concerned with ensuring that the tunas and tuna-like species including marlin are well protected and thriving in the waters of the Atlantic. The reality is quite different.

The organisation consists of member nations that have an interest in the exploitation of the various tuna and tuna-like resources found in the Atlantic. This includes obvious players such as Canada, the United States, the European Union and several African nations among others. The others include countries known for their wide-ranging fishing fleets — the likes of Japan and China.

The bluefin tuna is a sterling example of how the commission works.

But first, some background.

Before the Second World War, there was little commercial interest in the bluefin tuna. The fish reached massive sizes and were really of interest only to the well-heeled anglers who could afford the pursuit of such. Think Ernest Hemingway and that type, even though it was somewhat later that they really got started. Tuna that happened to be caught usually ended up as cat food or something similar. It was definitely not thought of very highly as a food fish.

Enter the Japanese. Their high-seas fishing fleet moved into the Atlantic and the market for bluefin tuna, which was a delicacy over there, boomed. The fish were being suddenly heavily exploited throughout their range, which included both sides of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. There had been a tuna fishery in that sea for thousands of years, but it had kept a low profile. The addition to the market of the Japanese really brought things into focus. One Japanese captain is reputed to have pointed to a large bluefin and said: “One fish, one Toyota” as an indication of value. A modern look at Wicked Tuna on television will bear out this sort of thinking.

This market saw a real spike in effort as everyone wanted to cash in, and the only losers were the fish that had their population decimated to the point where some talked of commercial extinction.

Now, back to the commission. Bluefin was too valuable a resource to be squandered, and there were too many countries that saw profits. In consultation with scientists, strict limits were placed on how many fish could be caught. At first, this was a small fraction of what the landings had been, but it was generally agreed that something had to be done or there would not be any tuna left.

This was where the commission really swung into action. It was effectively a trading platform between the various nations allotting the allowable catch among themselves. As can be imagined, this was often a hard-fought battle, as entire economies could be at stake. Thus, it was less about conservation and more about keeping business.

Happily, because of the commission’s work, or maybe not, the species saw a resurgence. This took many years — as in decades — but despite strict quotas, bluefin are far more likely to be encountered in places and numbers that had been merely historical accounts.

In Bermuda, in the early days of game fishing, the presence of bluefin was recorded. By the mid-Seventies they had virtually disappeared from this area and were a total novelty. Now into the 21st century, they are much more commonly encountered, especially during the winter months, and several have been caught. A fledgeling Bermuda longline fishery has also met with success.

Once common in the waters around the British Isles, the bluefin had virtually disappeared, but now a catch-and-release bluefin tournament is held annually off Cornwall. This year’s event drew more than 200 anglers, further evidence that the fish were indeed back.

So, conservation and protection of the species or a method of maximising yield?

The argument can be posed either way, in favour or against. The bottom line would seem to be more fish mean more profit, but this could still lead to overexploitation and the eventual near-collapse again of the fishery. This is the fine balance that the commission deals with on a regular basis. Hopefully, it gets it right and some other unconsidered natural factor does not upset the applecart.

Wahoo continue to be the mainstay of local boats at the moment. For the record, this is a ”tuna-like” species governed by the ICCAT, even though it has not taken any measures with regard to the species.

Both charter and commercial boats are working on what must be the autumnal run. Numbers are decent, double figures in some cases, and the fish are tending to be large. Both live baiting and regular trolling are getting results. The trouble is getting the weather that a weekender can take advantage of.

Modern forecasting seems to be pretty reliable and the immediate future looks like another weekend ashore. Seems a shame when there are all those wahoo out there, ready and willing to provide Tight Lines!!!