Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 199, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 August 1916 — 695-POUND TUNA CAPTURED [ARTICLE]

695-POUND TUNA CAPTURED

Monster Taken in Net Seven Mlles Off Block Island—Much Larger Than California's. Newport, R. I.—Few people realize that the coast adjacent to Rhode Island boasts fish larger than those off the shores of California. Such is the case, however, and Capt. Hugh L. Willoughby, who has just .returned from a trip to Block island in his motorboat Sea Otter, tells a reporter that he weighed a monster tuna fish which tipped the scales at 695 pounds. “Yes,” said Captain Willoughby, “we have an affidavit as to the weight. California’s tuna fish never exceed 300 pounds." The big fish was caught in a fisherman’s net about seven miles southeast of Block island and had to be speared before being prepared for shipment to New York. Meanwhile the fisherman is trying to figure out whether the price of the monster will pay to repair his nets, which were torn to shreds in the death struggle. “As regards sharks,” said Captain Willoughby, “I believe that there never were any two varieties, such as common and man-eating sharks. “The menhaden fishing industry has cleaned the waters of the food for the sharks and they are hungry. Any shark will eat human beings in this state.”