Short-term behavioural responses of Atlantic bluefin tuna to catch-and-release fishing

Abstract

Abstract Catch-and-release (C&R) angling is often touted as a sustainable form of ecotourism, yet the fine-scale behaviour and physiological responses of released fish is often unknown, especially for hard-to-study large pelagic species like Atlantic bluefin tuna (ABFT; Thunnus thunnus). Multi-channel sensors were deployed and recovered from 10 ABFTs in a simulated recreational C&R event off the west coast of Ireland. Data were recorded from 6 to 25 hours, with one ABFT (tuna X) potentially suffering mortality minutes after release. Almost all ABFTs (n = 9, including tuna X) immediately and rapidly (vertical speeds of ~2.0 m s−1) made powered descents and used 50–60% of the available water column within 20 seconds, before commencing near-horizontal swimming ~60 seconds post-release. Dominant tailbeat frequency was ~50% higher in the initial hours post-release and appeared to stabilize at 0.8–1.0 Hz some 5–10 hours post-release. Results also suggest different short-term behavioural responses to noteworthy variations in capture and handling procedures (injury and reduced air exposure events). Our results highlight both the immediate and longer-term effects of C&R on ABFTs and that small variations in C&R protocols can influence physiological and behavioural responses of species like the commercially valuable and historically over-exploited ABFT.