Massachusetts charter crew lands 1,260-pound blue marlin, possibly East Coast record
A charter boat off Massachusetts hauled in a 1,260-pound blue marlin, which experts say may be the largest ever caught on the U.S. East Coast.
Longtime charter captain Damon Sacco and his guest Walter Chapman spent three hours fighting a blue marlin that surfaced near the Atlantis Canyon, an underwater trench off Cape Cod. The fish, exceeding 11 feet in length and tipping the scales at 1,260 pounds, was hauled to the docks in Falmouth, Massachusetts, where a crowd watched the weighing ceremony. Experts, including Walt Golet of the University of Maine Pelagic Fisheries Lab, believe the catch may be the biggest Atlantic blue marlin ever landed on the East Coast, falling just 142 pounds short of the global record from Brazil in 1992.
The specimen’s head will be sent to the UMaine lab for age analysis, with estimates suggesting a 25-30-year lifespan. The meat was divided among about a dozen participants, with plans to use some for chowder. Onlookers like Katie Curran praised the crew’s achievement, noting its rarity for New England anglers.
Why it matters
The catch showcases an exceptionally rare large blue marlin in New England waters, highlighting shifting marine patterns and local fishing prestige.
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