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Bluefin tuna were reportedly spotted hunting off Ballyteige Beach in County Wexford on Wednesday 4 November 2026. South East Radio reported the sighting the following day, although this particular observation has not been independently confirmed. Their return to waters off Ireland, however, is documented. To understand what draws a predator of this size close to the coast, it is worth first looking at the smaller fish.
What bluefin tuna come to feed on off Ireland
Schools of fish in the cool Atlantic waters
Mackerel, herring and sprats are among the prey that can attract bluefin tuna. When a hunt reaches the surface, the water can become agitated within seconds. From the shore, the sight can be striking, but foam and splashing alone are not enough to identify the species.
The Atlantic bluefin tuna is the largest tuna species. Inland Fisheries Ireland states that it can reach speeds of 65 km/h. It also retains some of the heat generated by its muscles. This adaptation helps it remain active in cooler waters, where it comes to feed. Its presence around Ireland is seasonal: RTÉ generally places this period between July and November.
Why bluefin tuna are returning to Irish waters
Recovering stocks and fish tracked across the seas
Fishing restrictions have contributed to the recovery of the stock, The Irish Times explains. At the scale of a beach, prey movements and conditions at sea can also play a part. The recovering stock helps explain why the species is now being reported more regularly again; it cannot predict where a shoal will hunt the following day.
Ireland’s Tuna CHART programme helps shed light on the movements of these fish. Authorised skippers catch, tag and release tuna as part of scientific monitoring. If a tagged fish is found elsewhere, its tag makes it possible to link the two locations. The newspaper reports that two tagged specimens were recovered, one off northern France and the other off southern Spain. These journeys offer an indication of the scale on which bluefin tuna presence in Irish waters must be understood.
