Bluefin Tuna Catch and Release Recreational Fishery: guidance

Guidance for applying for a permit issued under Article 19D of Regulation (EU) 2016/1627 (Gov.UK) of the European Parliament and of the Council on a multiannual recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean as amended. 

The Welsh Government are launching a bluefin tuna (BFT) catch and release recreational fishery (CRRF) for permitted vessels, which will take place in Welsh waters between August to December for 2024. 

To maximise the socio-economic benefit of the fishery in 2024 we are accepting applications from charter vessels, i.e. vessels which take paying customers aboard for fishing trips. 

To be eligible to apply you must: 

• be the owner of a vessel registered in the United Kingdom under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995. 
• have a vessel powered by an engine/motor. 
• use rod and reel fishing gears only. No chumming will be permitted. 
• not have secured a permit for the UK commercial BFT fishery trial, or any other UK bluefin tuna catch and release recreational fishery

You will need the following information before starting the application: 

• UK Ships Register (UKSR) certificate. 
• a photograph of the vessel displaying external registration marking on the hull to allow for identification. 
• a copy of your Small Commercial Vessel Certificate (SCV2). 
• if you have participated in previous CHART programmes, forms of evidence to document this

Applications must be completed on an individual basis. Group applications will not be accepted. 

If an applicant owns more than one vessel, and wants to apply for more than one permit, a separate application will be required for each vessel. Applicants will be required to fill in their vessel and owner details, and submit the evidence outlined above.

When completing this form, you should answer all required questions. Incomplete applications forms will not be considered. 

If you have any problems completing this application form, contact the Welsh Government Fisheries Division at bft@gov.wales 

To ensure that UK quota is not exhausted we expect to issue no more than 15 permits in 2024. Should we receive more than 15 applications which meet the criteria, we shall prioritise those charter vessels which have participated in a CHART programme. 

Once permits have been allocated to any previous CHART participants, depending on the number of applications we may select remaining permits for 2024 by random draw. 

For your application to be considered, all evidence must be attached to one email, with the subject heading ‘BFT CRRF application submission’, and sent to: bft@gov.wales 

You will need to complete, attach, and submit the following: 

1. Complete this BFT CRRF application form 

2. Provide a copy of the UK Ship Register certificate showing that your vessel has been registered on either part 1, 2 or 3 of the UK ships register. 

3. Provide a copy of your Small Commercial Vessel Certificate SCV2 

4. Provide a photograph of the vessel displaying external registration marking on the hull to allow for identification. 

5. Applicants can also include copies of evidence/documentation supporting their CHART involvement. Optional 

Only applications received at this email address BFT@gov.wales will be considered. 

Applications are open from 28 June and will close at midnight on Sunday 14 July 2024. 

Applications received after this period will not be considered. 

The Welsh Government reserves the right to use your details and statements within your application to validate/verify CHART participation with bodies overseeing CHART Programmes. 

We will also reserve the right to use information within your application to ensure that applicants do not hold more than 1 CRRF permit in 2024, and are not part of the UK commercial trial. 

Further information on how we will process your data.