Kathmandu— A charter fishing boat captain and his client reeled in a massive Atlantic blue marlin weighing 1,260 pounds (571.5 kilograms) on Wednesday while fishing approximately 100 miles off Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Captain Damon Sacco of the Castafari initially mistook the fish for a shark before realizing it was an exceptionally large marlin exceeding eleven feet in length. The catch is believed to be the largest Atlantic blue marlin ever landed on the U.S. East Coast, falling just short of the world record set in 1992.

A Remarkable Catch

Damon Sacco described seeing the fish rise from the depths as like a “glimmering blue spaceship.” He initially believed it to be an enormous shark until he got a closer look and realized its pointed form indicated something else entirely. The battle with the marlin lasted around three hours, fought on rod and reel by client Walter Chapman, while Sacco navigated the boat. The fish even left some damage in its wake, creating holes in the boat’s transom with its bill – which Sacco jokingly referred to as “war marks.”

Scientific Interest

Walt Golet, director of the University of Maine Pelagic Fisheries Lab and an associate professor at the university’s marine sciences school, noted that catching such a large fish in New England waters is particularly noteworthy. Blue marlin typically prefer warmer temperatures, making their presence in the Northeast seasonal and limiting the opportunity for catches of this size. The fish's head was sent to Golet’s lab to determine its age, with estimates ranging from 25 to 30 years old. According to Golet, it is unlikely another blue marlin exceeding 1,200 pounds will be caught in the Atlantic for several years.

Community Celebration

Upon returning to Falmouth, Massachusetts, the Castafari was met by a crowd of onlookers eager to witness the weighing of the enormous fish. Katie Curran, who witnessed the event, described it as spectacular, stating that “people fish their entire lives and never come close to a catch like this.” The marlin’s meat has been distributed among approximately a dozen people, with Chapman planning to use some for fish chowder.

The impressive catch is currently believed to be the largest Atlantic blue marlin ever landed off the U.S. East Coast and has generated excitement within both the fishing community and the scientific world.

(With inputs from AP)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.