PORTLAND, Maine — A Massachusetts charter fishing captain and his client have landed what they and marine experts believe is the largest Atlantic blue marlin ever caught off the U.S. East Coast.
The massive billfish, measuring more than 11 feet in length and weighing 1,260 pounds (571.5 kilograms), was caught Wednesday approximately 100 miles off Cape Cod in the Atlantis Canyon, an underwater canyon on the edge of the continental shelf. The fish was brought to land in Falmouth, Massachusetts, where its head was transported to the University of Maine Pelagic Fisheries Lab for age determination.
The catch comes 142 pounds short of the world record for an Atlantic blue marlin, which was caught off Brazil in 1992 and recognized by the International Game Fish Association. Marine biologist Walt Golet, director of the University of Maine Pelagic Fisheries Lab, noted that blue marlin are rare in New England waters due to cold temperatures, making the timing of the catch particularly notable.
Captain Damon Sacco of the charter boat Castafari initially mistook the fish for a shark upon seeing its fin breach the surface. After closer inspection, he and his client Walter Chapman confirmed it was a blue marlin. The fight to reel in the fish lasted several hours before it was successfully landed.
Golet estimated the marlin could be between 25 to 30 years old, based on its size and the typical growth patterns of the species. He added that large catches of this magnitude are unlikely to be surpassed in the near future, stating, “I don't suspect there will be a whole lot of blue marlin caught in the Atlantic in general that are going to top 1,200 pounds for the next several years.”
The Atlantis Canyon, where the catch occurred, is a known migratory route for highly migratory species like blue marlin, which travel seasonally through the region. The successful landing has drawn attention from local fishing communities and marine researchers alike.