Massive bluefin tuna caught for first time in nearly a century

A bluefin tuna weighing 742 pounds (338 kg) was commercially landed off the coast of Whitby, North Yorkshire, for the first time in nearly 90 years, marking the first such catch since 1939. The fish was hauled in by an all-student-style crew from Whitby Fishing School, with 18-year-old trainee Ada Peake taking part on the 12-meter inshore vessel Dominator A. The 9.3-foot tuna took about one hour and 50 minutes to reel in. Peake, studying a Level 2 Diploma in Maritime Studies, said seeing the tuna “didn’t look real.” A second bluefin tuna landed the next day weighed 310 kg live. Commercial bluefin fishing is tightly controlled; only about 30 UK vessels are authorized to target the species during the 2026 season using rod and reel.