Tuna fishing in Tasmania is about to get a lot more challenging with the start of the jumbo season

One of Tasmania’s best tuna fishermen Stuart Nichols says the season is about to get a whole lot more challenging.

Near perfect fishing conditions meant a busy Easter for Tasman Peninsula charter boat operator Stuart Nichols over holiday period, but the catches have been as elusive as hidden chocolate eggs.

“The summer has been disappointing, and Easter has been disappointing. It’s been very patchy, “ Mr Nichols said.

“But we did catch some bluefin on Thursday and Friday and some albacore on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

“The fish don’t seem to like the warmer conditions.”

Mr Nichols has been operating his fishing business Personalised Sea Charters from Eaglehawk Neck for the past 25 years. He said this season has been a little quieter as interest rates have kicked in.

Personalised Sea Charters operator Stuart Nichols with an albacore tuna caught over Easter.

He said the biggest change over that time had been a steady increase in tuna stocks as the fishery had become more closely managed by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA).

“The big foreign commercial boats are not allowed to fish in our waters anymore.

“In one of the early seasons I remember not catching a single tuna. Then that steadily increased to 10 a season, then 20, 50 and 100.

“The bluefin stocks have got better and better.”

Rodney Dann, of Richmond, lands a bluefin tuna on a Personalised Sea Charters trip over Easter.

Mr Nichols says sensible, sustainable fishing has also helped.

“Catch and release is an important part of what we do,” he said

“We are only allowed four tuna per boat anyway but if we get a big fish we won’t keep more than one.”

Speaking of big, Mr Nichols says April will see the annual change in bluefin stocks, moving from the summer 15-25kg fish to the ‘jumbo’ bluefin which range in size from 70-140kg.

“The bigger tuna like the cooler waters and will run through until about August,” he said.

Originally published as Tuna fishing in Tasmania is about to get a lot more challenging with the start of the jumbo season