Two Atlantic bluefin tuna were caught on consecutive days off the coast of Yorkshire, marking the first recorded catches of the species in the North Sea in over six decades. The catches ended a 60-year period during which no bluefin tuna had been recorded in the area.

The tuna had largely disappeared from the North Sea since the 1960s, largely attributed to overfishing and the decline of herring shoals, a primary food source for the species. Their return signals a notable development in the local marine ecosystem, though experts caution that population recovery may still be fragile.

The two fish were caught by the crew of The Dominator, a vessel operating off Yorkshire. On Sunday, the crew landed a tuna weighing approximately 338 kilograms. The following day, they caught a second tuna, which crew member Jack Gardner described as being only “just a bit less” in weight than the first. Gardner remarked that he had never experienced catching fish of this size.

These catches have drawn attention to the changing dynamics of marine life in the North Sea and may prompt further study into the factors contributing to the bluefin tuna’s reappearance in these waters.