Seven foot long TUNA is found washed up in the River Severn – hundreds of miles from its natural habitat
THE giant fish was pictured by paddle boarder Kev Brady
A SEVEN foot long tuna fish has been found dead in the River Severn near Gloucester - hundreds of miles from its normal habitat in warm sea waters.
Paddle boarder Kev Brady found the giant fish in the estuary at Minsterworth, Glos, at the weekend.
It had been washed up into the side of the river better known for salmon and elvers.
It is thought the giant fish ended up in the estuary because of warmer water.
Mr Brady, 32, of Gloucester, who last year became the first person ever to swim the full length of the 220-mile River Severn last year, showed off his catch of the day on social media.
But expert Dai Francis, of the Severn and Wye Smokery, said he was not surprised to hear a tuna had come so far upriver.
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Dai said: "This last week we have had some massive tides so it's probably followed the salmon and everything else up the river.
"You do not usually get tuna in British waters but as the water temperature increases, they are getting spotted more and more.
"The water temperature in the River Severn is about 17C, which is really warm for this time of year. That means all the fish from the West coast of France, the Bay of Biscay for instance, come around the corner and into the Bristol Channel.
"Basically the big fish follow the smaller fish and climate change means they come in further."
Mr Francis said in years gone by North East ports were known for excellent tuna fishing and the rich would go there on their yachts to try and catch the species that are now more likely to be found in a can.
And although the fish in the Severn looks like a whopper, it probably can't compete with a 526lb tuna found off the coast of Scarborough.
The World Wildlife Fund said tuna are the Ferraris of the ocean world as they are sleek, powerful, and made for speed.
The Atlantic bluefin - one of several species - can reach ten feet in length and weigh as much as 1500 pounds, more than a horse, and can swim up to 43 miles per hour across long distances.
The WWF said: "Some tuna are born in the Gulf of Mexico, cross the entire Atlantic Ocean to feed off coast of Europe, and then swim all the way back to the Gulf to breed."
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