Giant conger eel caught by Plymouth fishermen

Six-metre-long fish, which was accidentally snared by trawler off British coast, fetches 70p per kilo at auction

A massive conger eel has been caught off the British coast. The fish was taller than a double-decker bus and weighed a whopping 59kg. Photograph: SWNS.com

Steven Morris

Thursday 14 May 2015 18.37 BSTLast modified on Thursday 14 May 201518.52 BST

It looks like something from a deep sea horror film. But this conger eel was caught by accident six miles off the coast of Devon. Measuring six metres (20ft) and weighing an impressive 59kg (131lb), the fish was snared in the nets of a trawler.

Pete Bromley, manager of Plymouth Fisheries, said: “This conger eel is a very large fish, and an unusual catch for a trawler. Conger move to very deep water and die after spawning, so, like all large congers caught off the south-west approaches, this fish is likely to be an unspawned female.

“These large eels are generally found hiding in the many wrecks around the south-west, or on reefs and rocky ground, but they do venture out to open ground in search of food, usually during neap tides or slack water. Despite their size and power, they are not very strong swimmers.”

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Giant eel bites massive chunk off diver's face

ENDA DOWLING – 13 JULY 2013 07:00 AM

A DIVER is "extremely lucky to be alive" after a giant conger eel bit a huge chunk out of his face.

Jimmy Griffin (48), an experienced deep sea diver for over 20 years, got into difficulties as he made his way back from an expedition in Killary Fjord, Connemara, Co Galway.

"Suddenly I got hit with what felt like a really strong punch in the face," Mr Griffin told the Herald. "I felt like a rag doll. It gripped onto my face and threw me about violently. It was biting, pulling and twisting on my face," he said.

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Crane lift for eel as 'love congers all' in Macduff

6ft conger eel has been released into the wild so he can find love after a lifting operation involving a crane.

The conger eel, called Rip, left Macduff Marine Aquarium in Aberdeenshire to swim to the Atlantic.

Staff said he had become restless, a typical sign that the time had come for a 2,000-mile migration.

The eels are known to congregate in deep water, where they spawn before dying. Operation Rip Tide was carried out on Monday afternoon.

Rip has been at the aquarium since 2004.

A large bag was used to catch the conger eel and a crane was used to hoist him out, lowering him into sea, where divers opened the bag.

Claire Matthews, the aquarium manager, said: "We hope Rip makes it to the Azores, but of course the sad part of the story is that he will die after it all - but at least he'll be happy."

In 2001, Chippie the conger eel was released at the aquarium for the same journey in Operation Amour.

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