A 300-kilogram bluefin tuna was discovered inside a salmon pen off the coast of Florø, Norway.
The massive fish, measuring 2.79 meters in length, breached the pen’s netting, prompting immediate action from Marø Havbruk, the farm’s operator, according to a report from Norwegian broadcaster NRK.
Elin Tveit Sveen, managing director at salmon producer Marø Havbruk, reported that the tuna was captured after several attempts, using a net on the fifth try. Fortunately, the fish was removed before it could cause significant damage or lead to any salmon escaping through the breach.
“I was quite stressed,” Sveen told NRK. Her primary concern centered on potential escapes of farmed salmon through breaches caused by the tuna. Fortunately, the hole was located 17 meters down, at a depth where salmon rarely swim, minimizing the risk of escape. Subsequent nettings revealed no escaped salmon.
The incident was quickly reported to the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries, which granted permission to euthanize the tuna.
The nearly three-meter-long fish was detected swiftly thanks to surveillance systems at Marø Havbruk’s facility in Gnarnesvika. Upon discovery, staff acted promptly, capturing the intruder with a net on the fifth attempt before significant damage occurred.
Sveen speculated on the tuna’s entry method, stating, “With a snout like an arrowhead and speeds of 70 km/h, it’s not hard to see how it could pierce the net.”
Data from the Directorate indicates a marked increase in such incidents, with bluefin tuna intrusions in aquaculture facilities rising from none to eight over the past decade.
Reported incidents of bluefin entering salmon pens have shown an increasing trend in recent years – from zero in 2014 to eight cases in 2023, according to the Directorate of Fisheries.
While Sveen appreciates the growing bluefin tuna population, she acknowledges the challenges it poses to the salmon farming industry.
On a lighter note, the unexpected catch has a silver lining. “Now we have 110 servings of bluefin tuna for the Christmas party!” Sveen quipped.
