ENVIRONMENT
Protect Our Seas
News and views from the world of marine heritage and conservation
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
Bluefin bonanza off Ireland raises fears
A fleet of vessels from Japan and South Korea were reportedly seen fishing for Atlantic bluefin tuna off the west coast of Ireland in November .
More than 30 vessels , mostly from Japan and South Korea , have been fishing for bluefin tuna in the North Atlantic in recent weeks , just over 215 nautical miles off the west coast of Ireland . The vessels could take almost fifty days to sail from a fishing ground to their home port .
The boats were being monitored digitally by activists , who said the vessels had been built between 1990 and 2019 , and were registered thousands of miles away . Bluefin tuna are among the largest bony fish in the ocean and can weigh more than half a tonne - their flesh is highly valued in the fish markets of Japan and Korea .
RRS David Attenborough heads south
Britain ’ s new polar research ship , RRS Sir David Attenborough , had departed the UK for its maiden voyage to Antarctica . The ship left Harwich back in November with 66 crew and personnel on board , making a brief stop at Portsmouth to take on fuel before departing the UK on 18 November . Its first point of call will be Stanley in the Falkland Islands , three-and-a-halfweeks later . From there , the RRS Sir David Attenborough will continue its voyage to Antarctica , where its robotic autosub , Boaty McBoatface , may be deployed .
50