If you are a fisherman you know the thrill of catching "the big one". However, what would you do if you caught an 881 lbs. Bluefin Tuna? A fisherman, and I should specify a "professional" fisherman did just that and then the government swooped in an confiscated it!

Carlos Rafael is the owner of "Carlos Seafood" and owns commercial fishing vessels. He has bought the correct permits for the tuna for the past 3 years hoping they would catch the big one at some point. He received a call from the boat captain who told him they had landed an 881 lbs. Bluefin. Carlos couldn't believe it!

He called the correct officials to notify them of the catch and when he went down to the docks to meet up with the boat government officials were waiting. They asked what all was on the boat and Carlos told them and included the tuna. The officials then took possession of the Bluefin stating that if you catch a Bluefin it must be with a rod and reel not with a net. Well I guess that was in the fine print so Carlos turned over the fish and receives nothing for the fish, except a photo.

A Bluefin of similar size was caught in Asia and netted around $300,000. However, Carlos could have been fined $5000-$10,000 he says, so he's just glad they didn't do that.

I understand the laws and I suppose Carlos does as well, it's just hard to see that big of a fish with that kind of potential money be taken away.


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