The North East Atlantic albacore fishery: A Cornish crisis of confidence

Fishing vessels from Cornwall, England entered the albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga, Bonnaterre, 1788) fishery using drift-nets in the Bay of Biscay in 1991, the prime motivation for this being concern over excess capacity and quota limitations in existing local fisheries. Although the albacore fishery has made a contribution to the regionʹs prosperity and has reduced pressure other fish stocks, many operators who invested in the necessary fishing equipment have withdrawn their vessels after only one or two seasons. Those staying in the fishery have been able to do so only because of profitability for vessels with very low overheads. Two sources have undermined confidence in the fishery amongst Cornish fishermen; new legislation which evolved from inappropriate, extra-regional sources and conflict between the fishing fleets from different European countries due to its ‘High Seas’ location. The political significance of the fishery is disproportionate to its size and impact on the environment and has meant that the Cornish albacore fleet may cease to exist.