A shoal of Tuna in a feeding frenzy has been caught on video off the Cornwall coast by one of of the owners of Healey’s Cyder.
Joe Healey, whose company also owns the Gylly Beach Café and Fives Cyder House in Falmouth, was en-route from Falmouth to Salcombe in his boat on Monday when they saw a lot of splashing ahead of them five miles off Fowey.
“As we got closer, it was hard to tell what was happening, we thought initially dolphins, circling and feeding, but it became apparent they weren’t dolphins,” he told the Packet.
“The water seemed to be boiling and they were creating a mini whirlpool.. they were in an absolute frenzy. The Tuna were massive, easily over 1m in length and swimming fast! “And then once they’d eaten all they could, they dispersed leaving an incredible ‘shiny’ sea with presumably loads of scales from the prey reflecting sunlight. Within minutes, we then had dolphins in the same area, possibly clearing up and remains? Incredible experience!”
The bluefin tuna was once common to UK shores before it was driven away by overfishing. But the species has recently returned to English shores, but for uncertain reasons.
This huge migratory fish has returned, in the thousands, off the coast of Cornwall, and the South West region of England. Currently, a sports fishery and a commercial bluefin tuna fishery is being trialled off the Cornwall coast.
This seems to be a sign that major cuts to fishing quotas in the east Atlantic ocean were a success in reviving them. But these new numbers were unprecedented to experts.
Last year, the first commercial bluefin fishing season was initiated since over 60 years, after a three year trial involving tagging and releasing the fish studied the impacts of sport fishing on the species.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel