Bluefin tuna return to Scarborough waters after 60 years

The Eastern Atlantic bluefin tuna has returned to the waters off Scarborough, Yorkshire, marking a significant comeback after a 60-year absence. The species, known for its size and speed, can reach lengths of 10 feet and weights exceeding 800 pounds.

During the 1930s, the Scarborough Tunny Club was a prestigious destination for high-profile figures, including Hollywood actors John Wayne and Errol Flynn, as well as various aristocrats. A notable record set in 1932 by Lorenzo Mitchell-Henry, who landed an 851-pound specimen, remains unbroken.

The decline of the tuna population was driven by the impact of the Second World War on local fishing infrastructure, the depletion of herring stocks, and a global surge in demand for bluefin tuna for sushi and sashimi consumption.