On the Water features Golet’s yellowfin tuna research

On the Water magazine highlighted research by Walter Golet, a research assistant professor in the School of Marine Sciences, in an article on yellowfin tuna, which are slightly overfished in the Atlantic. Golet’s team was awarded funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Saltonstall-Kennedy Program, with support from the NOAA Cooperative Research Program and the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas. The research will inform best-practice capture and handling recommendations for recreational anglers, the article states. Preliminary data suggests yellowfin tuna is a resilient species capable of recovering after capture on typical trolling gear, proper handling and subsequent release. However, U.S. law requires yellowfin tuna to be kept in the water during de-hooking if they are intended to be released. If this proves difficult, the researchers recommend clipping the line as close to the hook as possible. Further, to fill in data gaps surrounding the life history of tropical tunas like yelllowfin, the researchers are calling for people to collect biological samples from tuna. Those interested in helping collect samples or participating in the volunteer conventional tagging program, contact walter.golet@maine.edu or jkneebone@neaq.org for more information.