Marathon tuna fish makes record sea voyage
A tuna fish first tagged by fishermen in northern Spain in 2006 has turned up off the coast of Venezuela seven years later after a record journey of 6,370km (3,958 miles).
The 'bonito' tuna fish was originally tagged by fishermen working off the coast near the northern Spanish city of San Sebastián back in 2006.
Now it has been captured near Venezuela, Spain's science news agency SINC reported on Thursday.
It was an epic journey of 6,370km (3,958 miles) and over seven years for the hardy fish.
The journey of the fish across the Atlantic Ocean. Image: AZTI-Tecnalia
During its voyage, the bonito doubled in size from 50cm (19.7 inches) in length to 100cm.
It also stacked on some serious weight: in 2006 the fish weighted 2.5kg (5.5 pounds) but it was an impressive 21.8kg on recapture.
The trans-Atlantic journey marks a record for the Thunnus alalunga species says the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas.
A red tuna fish came close In 2007: It was caught by a sports fisherman in the US state of Massachusetts after a 6,170km-trip from northern Spain.
Since 2001, fishermen in Spain's northern Basque Country have worked together with the regional government, local fishing association and the AZTI-Tecnalia research centre to gather data on Atlantic fish.
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The 'bonito' tuna fish was originally tagged by fishermen working off the coast near the northern Spanish city of San Sebastián back in 2006.
Now it has been captured near Venezuela, Spain's science news agency SINC reported on Thursday.
It was an epic journey of 6,370km (3,958 miles) and over seven years for the hardy fish.
The journey of the fish across the Atlantic Ocean. Image: AZTI-Tecnalia
During its voyage, the bonito doubled in size from 50cm (19.7 inches) in length to 100cm.
It also stacked on some serious weight: in 2006 the fish weighted 2.5kg (5.5 pounds) but it was an impressive 21.8kg on recapture.
The trans-Atlantic journey marks a record for the Thunnus alalunga species says the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas.
A red tuna fish came close In 2007: It was caught by a sports fisherman in the US state of Massachusetts after a 6,170km-trip from northern Spain.
Since 2001, fishermen in Spain's northern Basque Country have worked together with the regional government, local fishing association and the AZTI-Tecnalia research centre to gather data on Atlantic fish.
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