Record-breaking 621lb bluefin tuna landed at Brixham sets new British benchmark
Fishermen operating off the south-west coast of England have landed a colossal bluefin tuna weighing 621lb and measuring 9ft in length, setting a new record for Brixham Fish Market in Devon.
The mammoth specimen, caught using rod and line gear, arrived at Brixham approximately 160lb heavier than the previous record for the market, which recently achieved sales of £77 million in 2025, up from £62 million the previous year, cementing its position as England's largest fish market by value.
The catch represents a significant milestone for Britain's recovering bluefin tuna population. These powerful Atlantic predators first reappeared in UK waters in 2014 after a 50-year absence, with sightings increasing annually since then due to warming waters, greater prey abundance, and successful international conservation efforts.
Barry Young, managing director of Brixham Trawler Agents, described the landing as a fantastic achievement. The fish is estimated to yield around 500 portions of premium tuna for the high-end restaurant trade.
Flying Fish Seafoods, whose clients include Michelin-starred restaurants across the country, purchased the record-breaking specimen at auction for an undisclosed sum. Commercial bluefin tuna landed at UK ports typically sell for around £14 per kilogram at wholesale prices, valuing this 282kg fish at approximately £3,948, though premium sashimi-grade specimens can command significantly higher prices.
Conservation success story
The return of bluefin tuna to British waters represents one of marine conservation's most remarkable success stories. Overfishing in the first half of the 20th century, particularly targeting juvenile fish, combined with the depletion of prey species like herring and mackerel, caused the species to virtually disappear from northern European waters by the 1960s.
The scale of the historical decline is stark when compared with the 1930s, when Scarborough was a globally famous destination for big-game bluefin tuna fishing, attracting Hollywood celebrities including John Wayne, Clark Gable, and Errol Flynn to the Yorkshire coast.
The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas launched a recovery plan in 2007 that proved transformative. The initiative reduced total allowable catches from 27,500 tonnes in 2007 to 13,400 tonnes by 2014, alongside strict monitoring and control measures. By 2007, global tuna stocks were close to collapse, but the intervention worked.
Managed commercial return
Following the population recovery, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has carefully reintroduced commercial fishing. The UK concluded its first commercial bluefin tuna fishing season in over 60 years at the end of 2023.
The UK's bluefin tuna quota increased significantly from 63 tonnes to 230.65 tonnes for the 2026-2028 period. Of this allocation, 120 tonnes support a commercial fishery using rod and reel gear, with 30 vessels authorised to fish, each receiving a 4-tonne individual quota.
Young noted that Brixham has already sold over 17 tonnes of bluefin tuna this year, with more than 200 fish landed, and those figures continue to grow. Fish weighing 200-300kg are being encountered regularly, making this 282kg catch an exceptional example of the size and quality now available.
The developing fishery provides valuable opportunities for Brixham's licensed vessels while generating activity through the fish market and wider supply chain, including merchants, processors and transport operators. Approximately 70% of fish sold at Brixham Fish Market is exported to European countries, primarily Holland, Belgium, France, Spain, and Italy, providing access to premium markets for British catches.
Brixham's fishing heritage dates back centuries. By 1850, it was established as the largest fishery in England with 270 vessels employing 1,600 seamen, earning it the title 'Mother of Trawling' due to the perfection of trawl fishing methods developed there.
In August, a 746lb bluefin tuna was landed at Whitby in North Yorkshire, the first of its kind caught in the North Sea for almost 90 years. Last week, a 7ft bluefin tuna was spotted leaping from the waters off the south-west coast while hunting garfish.
The waters off Devon and Cornwall are currently teeming with the migratory fish, which arrive every summer and depart before winter. Fine dining establishments across Britain can charge between £20-£45 for a plate of premium bluefin tuna, with the species known to grow up to 10ft long and weigh more than 800lb.
