New Hampshire Fisherman Lands 1,116-Pound Bluefin Tuna — Then Learns It Won't Count as a State Record
A New Hampshire fisherman hauled in a 1,116-pound bluefin tuna off the New England coast — a catch initially celebrated as a state record before wildlife officials ruled it did not qualify, Seacoastonline and Outdoor Life reported.
Brandon McGirl boarded the 36-foot boat "Out of Line" with Capt. Jamie Savage of Savage Charters NH for an overnight trip out of Rye Harbor on the night of October 2. After hours of rough seas and little action, a live squid bait was hit around 7 p.m. on October 3. The crew chased the fish for about a mile before getting it alongside the boat; too big to lift at sea, they towed it back to Rye Harbor on Sunday morning, October 4.
The tuna weighed 1,116 pounds — 154 pounds heavier than the state's existing 962-pound record set in 2013. The catch was celebrated as a record-breaker the next day, with congratulations from Gov. Kelly Ayotte on social media. But by the end of October 5, McGirl said he learned that New Hampshire Fish and Game had determined the fish did not qualify: a record fish must be caught in New Hampshire waters, and officials told him the tuna was taken well beyond that line.
"Honestly, I could kind of care less about that," McGirl said. He is keeping the tail as a trophy; the rest of the fish is headed to market, likely to Japan. "If you tuna fish for long time, to catch a 1,000-pound fish, it's something that you dream of," he said.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 钓获的蓝鳍金枪鱼，图片来源：Wikimedia Commons（CC BY-SA 3.0）
