Dr Lucy Hawkes shares insights into the Thunnus UK project, which investigates the return of Atlantic bluefin tuna to the nation’s waters. Using the Springboard Fund, the research team were able to share their findings through a public stakeholder event that invited attendees to contribute to this growing area of ecological research.
The Thunnus UK project aimed to build the first understanding of the ecology of Atlantic bluefin tuna in UK waters, which have returned after almost a 70-year absence. The public engagement event allowed us to disseminate findings from 6 years of research. As these iconic fish are of great public and commercial interest, we recognized the importance of sharing our findings with stakeholders, including recreational and commercial skippers, anglers, and policymakers, to foster a collaborative research agenda.
We organized a public stakeholder event at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth to share the final results of the 6-year Thunnus UK project. The event brought together over 85 attendees, including representatives from the UK Bluefin Tuna Association, other skippers and anglers, marine NGOs, charities, industry groups, and DEFRA. Presentations by Thunnus UK researchers and informative postcards were provided, and knowledge exchange took place through post-it feedback boards.
One of the biggest challenges we faced was effectively communicating complex scientific findings to a diverse audience with varying levels of expertise. To overcome this, we carefully curated our presentations and materials to strike the right balance between technical depth and accessibility. Actively engaging stakeholders through interactive elements like feedback boards was key, and fostered a two-way dialogue which encouraged participants to share their perspectives. The event also helped to highlight the members of the stakeholder community keen to continue engaging with us and the bluefin data that we have collected.
The greatest benefit as researchers was the opportunity to gain insights and new research questions from the stakeholder community, enhancing our understanding of their priorities and values. For us, this engagement event laid the groundwork for future collaboration and community buy-in, ensuring our research remains relevant and impactful. For the public attendees, the event provided valuable knowledge about the ecology of Atlantic bluefin tuna in UK waters, empowering them to contribute to policy discussions and conservation efforts more effectively. The impact of the event may be felt over the coming years, as the data we presented can now be used by lobbying groups to make evidence-based campaigns for the future of bluefin tuna fishing in the UK.
Already, the event has led to more engagement with the stakeholders for whom it was held. We are now aiming to leverage the increased trust and support gained through this event to secure further funding for community-engaged tuna research in the UK, which will continue in the long-term.