Inland Fisheries Ireland has recorded the capture and tagging of the first Atlantic bluefin tuna of 2024.
The giant fish, measuring 1.68 metres, was caught, measured, tagged and released at Donegal Bay by skipper and Kilcar native Adrian Molloy and he landed a second one the following day.
The fish was caught on Monday of last week.
In 2023, a total of 381 Atlantic bluefin tuna were tagged by authorised skippers in Irish waters.
Bluefin tuna captures are kept in the water alongside boats, which progress slowly at speeds of 2-3 knots to ensure the fish remain in the best possible condition for their release.
Atlantic bluefin tuna average 2m in length in Irish waters, but can surpass lengths of 4m and weigh more than 600kg.
They are caught between approximately 1km and 20km off the coast of Ireland.
The 2024 Tuna CHART programme season runs until November 12th.
