Tuna fishermen delay season start to let fish 'fatten up'

Although tuna season is now officially underway on P.E.I., many fishermen are choosing to delay their start.

Friday was the first day of fishing, but buyer Jason Tomkins says he didn't think any of the Island's 300-plus tuna fishermen were heading out.

He says tuna on the U.S. East Coast have been coming in small, and some Island fishermen are holding out.

"The fish have just arrived here in the last couple of weeks and a lot of the results so far out of the fish down in the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S. have, I guess, been a little less than desirable," said Tomkins.

"So I think they're going to take their time, maybe let the fish feed on some mackerel and herring, fatten up a little bit before they go out and take their shot."

Tomkins expects fishermen will start catching tuna by the end of this week, with many fish coming in by September. Fishermen are only guaranteed one fish, might have a chance of three fish if they're lucky this year.

He says about 90 per cent of P.E.I.'s tuna goes to Japan, but a strong U.S. dollar means American buyers are hungry to buy this year.