Co-author on paper using social media to find photos of stranded tuna possibly pointing to evidence of illegal fishing

by | Feb 4, 2026

I was fortunate to be invited by the first author, a talented early career researcher that I also collaborate with in other projects, on to this interesting paper to primarily conduct the statistical analysis. In this brief paper, we are able to show that images of stranded tuna remain on Italian beaches upload by the general public to Facebook can give us clues about potential illegal fishing and discarding processes. This was highlighted by the far higher frequency of tuna photos compared to two other similar sized fish species (the dusky grouper and the greater amberjack). Thus this paper adds another like piece of evidence to the general use of social media and passive citizen science for ecology and conservation.

Nota, A., Hesselberg, T. and Tiralongo, F. (2026). Strandings of tuna remains along Italian coasts: Insights from citizen science into potential illegal fishing. Ocean 7: 12.  https://www.mdpi.com/2673-1924/7/1/12

Abstract

The Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) is a high-value species subject to strict catch quotas and seasonal closures in the Mediterranean Sea. However, detecting illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing remains challenging, particularly for small-scale activities. The aim of this study is to investigate whether citizen-reported strandings of tuna remains along Italian coasts can provide potential indirect indications of illegal fishing activities. To address this question, we collected and verified photographic records of stranded tuna remains (e.g. skulls, vertebral elements, complete specimens) reported on social networks. A similar search was conducted for two other conspicuous fishes, the ‘dusky grouper’ (Epinephelus marginatus) and the ‘greater amberjack’ (Seriola dumerili), as controls. Thirty-two strandings of tuna remains were recorded, with no records of amberjacks and only one of dusky grouper. Most strandings involved tuna heads or neurocrania, some of which showed clear mechanical cuts indicating post-capture processing. Several remains were older and degraded, suggesting long-term persistence in the sea. Overall, our results indicate that citizen-reported strandings could provide low-cost, spatially broad potential indications of discards resulting from illegal fishing activities. Wider adoption of standardised public reporting could not only engage the public in marine conservation, but also provide valuable data for policymakers tackling illegal fishing and complement traditional fisheries monitoring.