Huge bluefin tuna weighing 53 STONE is caught and landed in North Sea for first time in 90 years

A MASSIVE bluefin tuna has been caught and landed in the North Sea for the first time in almost 90 years. The 53-stone fish is believed to be the first brought into Whitby Harbour since 1939. A 53-stone bluefin tuna is believed to be the first brought into Whitby Harbour since 1939 Credit: BNPS Whitby holds the British record for a bluefin caught on rod and line — a 851lb monster in 1933 Credit: BNPS The port was once a mecca for big-game fishing. Hollywood stars such as Clark Gable and David Niven used to visit in the hope of catching the enormous fish. Whitby holds the British record for a bluefin caught on rod and line — a 851lb monster in 1933. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Overfishing of herring stocks — tunas’ primary food source — meant the species disappeared from the UK’s coast. But over the past ten years, they have returned in huge numbers to waters off Devon and Cornwall — and are now in the North Sea. Strict Defra rules mean only a handful of fishing vessels are licensed to catch and land a quota of bluefin tuna, which they can sell for thousands of pounds. The delighted crew of Whitby fishing vessel Dominator brought home their whopper on Sunday. Whitby photographer Glenn Kilpatrick was on hand when the boat came in — and noticed it was “sitting noticeably heavy to one side” as it docked. He said: “The live weight was calculated at 746.54lb. That is one seriously big fish. Most read in The Sun Bluefin tuna disappeared from UK waters after herring stocks were overfished but have returned in huge numbers over the past decade Credit: The Whitby Photographer/BNPS The fishing boat’s delighted crew Credit: BNPS “The crew were understandably pleased. I’m told it will now be sold to restaurants in the UK. “I believe this may be the first tunny — as they were traditionally known here — landed at Whitby since 1939.” Improving herring stocks have led to the return of several species. He said: “We now regularly see minke and humpback whales and several dolphin species.” The University of Exeter is monitoring bluefin tuna stocks. Dr Lucy Hawkes, who is leading the research, said they are “top predators who can only be in these waters if the ecosystems under them are healthy. “Their presence is a good way of signalling your waters are doing well, but we have no idea where they’ve come from — which is why tagging is so important.” Comment now