For the first time in about 60 years, Atlantic bluefin tuna have been caught off Yorkshire’s coast.
These large fish haven’t been seen in the North Sea since the 1960s due to overfishing and a decline in herring populations, according to researchers from the University of Exeter who recently tagged six near Whitby.
On Sunday, a five-member crew aboard The Dominator landed an impressive 338kg specimen and managed to catch another that was “just a little bit” lighter the following day, as stated by crew member Jack Gardner.
“I’ve never caught anything like it,” said the 28-year-old from Paull, close to Hull, calling it the “best feeling ever.”
Gardner has been with The Dominator since 2018. He mentioned that they were around 10 miles (16km) from Whitby Harbour when they made their first catch on Sunday.
“It jumped out of the water; we all just looked at each other in awe,” he recalled.
“We couldn’t believe we had actually hooked one.”
The crew went to an area where they’d heard this migratory species was present.
“Just as we were heading home, we noticed a group of birds, so we decided to check it out and that’s when we hooked into one,” Gardner explained.
“We knew they were around; it was just about whether we could catch them because they’re such fast fish.”
They fought with the fish for about five miles (8km) before successfully bringing it aboard. p >“The fight was much harder than I expected; its power is incredible,” Gardner shared. p >Last year, a210kg bluefin tuna caught off the south-west coast sold for over £2,000 at auction. p >Gardner mentioned that their rare catch had already been sold before they returned to Whitby. p >The next day they landed another bluefin tuna that also weighed over300kg. p >Lance Varrell from Hook to Plate said these fish are of “good quality” and will be distributed to restaurants, sushi markets, and directly to customers. p >“ Bluefin tuna is very popular. It’s considered a premium fish-they refer to it as the Rolls Royce of seafood ,” he noted. P >
Japanese chefs based in London might pay up to £100 per kilo “if it’s really good,” he added. P >
Gardner expressed he felt “immensely proud” of his crewmates Ben Shutt , Liam Crosby , their apprentice Ada , and skipper Clive Easton for their part in this historic- and successful-catch.
In between World Wars , Scarborough and Whitby became famous worldwide for game fishing thanks to giant tuna-often called “ tunny.” A British record was set in Whitby by a386kg specimen back in1933.
Celebrities like John Wayne and Errol Flynn even visited these locations for fishing expeditions.
Actors and aristocrats frequented Scarborough Tunny Club , founded during1930s which still exists today as afish-and-chip restaurant.
After World War Two , this activity declined but resumed later ; however by1950s stocks were dwindling due technological advancementsin commercial fishing.
Recently, bluefin tunas have also started appearing again alongsouth-west coasts after decades away. P >
Since2018, researchersfromthe Universityof Exeterhavetagged165bluefintunasalongthe Atlanticcoastsof England, Walesand Jersey. P >A spokesperson stated that those found off Whitby’s coast are “considerably larger”and may even be genetically distinct from previously tagged ones.
Dr. Lucy Hawkes, whoisconductingtheresearch, suggestedthatbluefintuna’sreturnto Britishwaterscouldbeattributedtothe”carefulandjudiciousmanagementoffisheries”andsaidthecurrent UKquotaforcatchingthesespeciesis”reallysmall”comparedtooverallstocklevels.
“ Bluefin tuna are alsotop predatorswho can only thrive hereifunderlyingecosystemsarehealthy,” sheadded.
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