Skipper catches 'rare' sturgeon in Devon waters

Skipper Sean Beck said the sturgeon, seen here with crewman Danny Frejoles, was about 4ft (1.2m) long

A rare species of fish has been caught in waters off Devon, according to a local fishing boat skipper.

Sean Beck, skipper of the Brixham-based Julia of Ladram, said his vessel was fishing approximately 15 miles (24km) south east of Dartmouth on Saturday afternoon when his crew caught an "average sized" sturgeon.

Mr Beck said he had been fishing for about 40 years and had only seen two sturgeons in that time. He said they released the 4ft (1.2m) long fish, adding that, if they had brought it ashore, he would have had to offer it to the monarch.

The Zoological Society of London confirmed it was a critically endangered European variety of the fish.

'Strong and alive'

He said: "We caught an average sized sturgeon; I'm not entirely sure what species of sturgeon it was. It is very rare to see them around here.

"Fortunately, it was very strong and alive, so we let it go and it swam away quite happily and carried on with its life.

"I have been fishing in Brixham since a very young boy, probably for around 40 years and this is the second sturgeon I have seen. It is not something you see every day."

He said the first sturgeon he caught was about three years ago and it took two people to lift due to its size.

He added: "I believe if you bring them ashore, there is a tradition where you have to offer it to the monarch. So, if we bought it home, we would have had to offer it to the King.

"Because it was alive, we decided to release it and I'm sure he will not be upset by that and agree with that course of action."

Mr Beck had shared a photograph of the catch on Facebook, which joked "no caviar for tea" as it had been put back into the sea.

The Zoological Society of London (ZSL), confirmed it was a critically endangered European sturgeon (A. sturio), saying: "It is a rare occurrence for these fish to be caught."

It also said that sturgeons were declared "royal fish" due to their "superior excellence" by King Edward II in the 14th Century, meaning all sturgeons landed have to be offered to the Crown, although nowadays it was "just a formality".

The ZSL said added the last sturgeon accepted by the Crown was in 1969 and its "unique status exemplifies the importance of native sturgeons to UK history".