Sea-Fisheries (Bluefin Tuna) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 352/2024).

These regulations state that anyone without proper authorization to target bluefin tuna in a catch, tag, and release fishery is prohibited from engaging in activities such as targeting, retaining, transhipping, transferring, towing, landing, transporting, storing, or selling bluefin tuna. For bluefin tuna caught alive in this fishery, it must remain in the water. If removed, it must be handled carefully and returned immediately to the sea, while ensuring the catch is recorded and reported. If a bluefin tuna dies during capture, it must be promptly returned to the water, with the event documented and reported. Furthermore, any vessel used for targeting bluefin tuna in a catch, tag, and release fishery must have a fully functioning vessel monitoring system installed. This system must transmit live data, including date, time, speed, heading, and position, to a destination specified by the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority. These Regulations do not apply to a person onboard a fishing vessel that is– (a) licensed under section 4 (as inserted by section 97 of the Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006 ) of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 2003 , (b) entered in the Register of Fishing Boats maintained under section 74 of the Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006 , or required by regulations under section 76 of that Act to be so entered, and (c) registered under the Merchant Shipping (Registry, Lettering and Numbering of Fishing Boats) Regulations 2005 ( S.I. No. 261 of 2005 ).