Fish Giant From Fiji

THIS photograph of a Black Marlin was taken recently at Waya Island, Yasawa Group, Fiji, by Miss P.

Barry, Public Health Nurse, stationed at Lautoka. Its sword is partly hidden by the sloping bank.

Miss Barry writes; “I was visiting Waya when two native sailing boats left for Lautoka. Three hours later one of them returned towing this fish. It ap pears that a man in the first boat had attempted to spear the fish but had missed. The fish fell back and ran into the second boat about two miles behind, stunning itself. The Fijians on the second boat killed it and brought it back to Waya.

“It took 12 men to pull it up to the pulley against the coconut tree. As some indication of its length, the tall Fijian shown in the photograph standing next the fish is 6 ft. 4 in. (He is the local NMP.) Total length of the fish was 13 ft. 6 in. with a weight of 750 lb.

“The man who had attempted to spear the fish in the first place continued on with his shipmates towards Lautoka.

When off the reef there they decided to go fishing and, while in the water, he saw a huge shark swimming towards him. He pulled his feet up to protect his abdomen, but the shark attacked and he was badly mauled. He was taken to hospital at Lautoka, but died before he reached it.”