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GULF OF MEXICO — A YouTube video from 2012 is currently stirring controversy online. According to the video's description, the footage was captured by a remotely operated underwater vehicle in the Gulf of Mexico. The ROV was inspecting a drilling rig when the massive fish swam into view.
The video's title claims the tuna was 18 feet long, which could make it substantially larger than the current all-tackle world record caught in Nova Scotia in 1976. This size estimate was based on the fact that the white pipe seen in the background was allegedly 4 feet wide.
Many observers feel that while the tuna is undoubtedly large, the 18-foot claim is nothing more than a fish story. For example, Nick Honachefsky of Outdoor Life suggests "eyeball estimates put the bluefin at about 14 to 16 feet long."
And it's not only the fish's size that has been debated. An article from Louisiana Sportsman suggests the fish is a yellowfin or bigeye tuna, rather than a bluefin.
What's your take? Is the fish an 18-footer or is that just a typical angler exaggeration? And is it a bluefin or some other species? Let us know in the comments.
Grant Olsen joined the KSL.com contributor team in 2012. He covers outdoor adventures, travel, product reviews and other interesting things. You can contact him at grantorrin@gmail.com.
