NI CHART Bluefin Tuna

DAERA and AFBI would like to inform interested Northern Ireland recreational charter skippers that applications for the 2022 Northern Ireland CatcH And Release Tagging (NI CHART) pilot scientific programme for Atlantic Bluefin Tuna has opened.

The application process will run from 21 July until 29 July 2022 at 17:00 BST, after which there will be a period of one week while the applications are evaluated, and selection decisions are taken. Successful applicants will have to meet certain criteria and then complete necessary training.

NI CHART is a pilot scientific / recreational programme which plans to catch, tag and release Bluefin Tuna safely in Northern Ireland waters in order to collect relevant data, with an emphasis on animal welfare. Note that only successful applicants will receive a licence, and NI anglers cannot legally target Bluefin Tuna outside of the programme.

If you are interested in applying for NI CHART 2022, please email DAERA Sea Fisheries seafisheries@daera-ni.gov.uk and include your name and address, and ‘CHART application request’ in the subject line. An application pack will then be forwarded.

All completed applications will receive an e-mail confirmation from DAERA to acknowledge receipt, so if you submit an application and do not receive a confirmation, please follow up with DAERA to check the status of your application.