Azorean fishers and shipowners allowed to catch additional 425 tonnes of bigeye tuna this year - Communication

Secretaria Regional do Mar e das Pescas

The Regional Secretariat for the Sea and Fisheries, through the Regional Directorate for Fisheries, has secured an additional 425 tonnes of bigeye tuna from the National Government, which will be added to the 2,500 tonnes made available for 2025.

This is the result of joint efforts undertaken by the governments of the two autonomous regions, following weeks of negotiations, culminating in this excellent news for professionals in the Azorean fishing sector engaged in tuna fishing using the pole-and-line method.

This year, for the first time, a memorandum of understanding between the two autonomous regions entered into force on January 1, with the primary goal of promoting sustainability in the sector. The same operating rules were adopted by the tuna fleets of the Azores and Madeira, further extending the fishing season.

This management led to an increase in the average price in the Azores at the first auction sale of about €0.48 this year. The Regional Government continues to work with professionals in the sector to ensure that the first auction sale price of this species continues to grow in the future.