Hungry 390kg Black Marlin choked on tuna [1]
Wednesday, September 26, 2007 - 09:56. Updated on Sunday, June 15, 2014 - 19:53.
A black marlin weighing 390kg and over 4m long was hauled into the fish markets today from the Ekiaki a vessel which is owned by the Quality Fishing Co. and captained by Loseli Tuineau. The huge fish was caught last Tuesday, 36 miles north east of Kao.
Amazingly, the black marlin didn't actually get caught on a hook. The marlin was chasing a yellow fin tuna that had been hooked by a longline. The tuna then got stuck in the mouth of the marlin, which was unable to swallow it. After reeling the marlin in for four hours the fisherman removed the tuna from the black marlin's mouth.
Mr Tuineau was amazed at the size of the marlin. He said it usually takes five minutes to bring a normal sized fish of about 60kgs on board but this fish took four hours. He said that this was the biggest whole fish that he had ever brought into the fish markets in his 13 year career. The marlin was so large that it had to be cut up on deck.
Mr Tuineau has been a fisherman since 1994 and also reported that it is becoming increasingly difficult to catch fish this size
"In '94 (it was) easy, there were many many fish, now not so many", he said.
The black marlin will bring the boat owner Mrs Halaevalu M. Palu much happiness. The black marlin fetches $7 a kilogram at the markets, and with 390kg of fish Mrs Palu was very happy with the catch. Mrs Palu has many high hopes for the fish markets and she hopes that one day she may be able to transform it into a place that is refrigerated with glass counters.
"When you go next door to the glass counters, it makes you feel important, I would like to make everyone feel important by bringing the glass and refrigeration to all local fish sellers." Quality Fishing Co, 25/09/07.