SUMMERSIDE – An early start to the day meant success for a Cape Tormentine fisherman after he caught a near 700-pound tuna fish in Island waters on Thursday.
“We started fishing about 7 a.m. this morning. We’ve seen tuna in this area before. Most people don’t try to catch them out of here. I was the first one,” Captain Gordon Dean.
Dean, and a crew of three others caught the about 679-lb fish around Seacow Head, near Bedeque.
Dean, who usually fishes out of Cape Breton, decided to fish out of waters near P.E.I. because it was closer to his home port.
“We’ve seen the tuna come up and down here for the past five to six years. You often hear people catching them off North Lake and in north shore waters, but recently they’ve been in this area,” said Dean’s brother, Barry, who was also on hand for the catch.
The pair said there were a few hiccups during the day but were able to recover and make a catch.
Dean, who was hired to catch the fish, said he brought it to Summerside for Derek Cameron, the now owner of the fish.
Cameron says he thinks it is the first to come into Summerside.
For Bruce Palmer, owner of JMK, he said it was the first tuna they’ve offloaded.
Right now, price of tuna can range from $3 to $10 per pound.
Dean’s catch comes one day after he closed the lobster season.
Next the fish will be transported to Tignish to be dressed.
