This big kingfish swam from Port Augusta to Sydney

A yellowtail kingfish (Seriola Lalalndi) caught and tagged from the shore at Port Augusta, South Australia, on September 6, 2014 by Anthony Everett, was recaptured off Bluefish Point, Sydney, in December 2016.

During the 810 days at liberty, the kingfish had swum at least 680 nautical miles (1265 km) through Victoria around the south and east coast of Australia. The fish had grown from 118cm to 130cm fork length.

The big king measured in at 141cm total length and weighed 22.5kg when Joel Menzies speared the 'brute' whilst fishing with a friend off Manly.

Joel spotted the big king cruising while his dive buddy was wrangling an 18kg fish in a school of approximately 10 fish.

NOTABLE TAGGED KINGFISH
Of the 36,186 kingfish tagged under the NSW DPI Game Fish Tagging Program since 1973, 2370 have been recaptured.

This is the eighth and largest South Australian kingfish to be recaptured on the east coast of Australia and is the second one to be reported swimming this route in 2016. The first fish swam all the way from Port Augusta, SA to Jumpinpin, QLD.

You can read about more Crazy Kingfish Recaptures in this article and in this revealing
Revealing Kingfish Science
story.

All of which underscores the value of the NSW DPI Game Fishing Tagging Program. More about  that at

This article was compiled with assistance from content from the NSW DPI tagging newsletter Tag Times and the NSW Fisheries website. More on the NSW DPI Tagging Program at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational/resources/fish-tagging/game-fish-tagging.

REPORTING RECAPTURES
If you do happen to catch a tagged fish be sure to report it either over the phone on (02) 44247423 or online by using this Online Recapture Form.

Each recapture provides vital information which is essential to improve the understanding and management of valuable game fish and sport fish species. Details of the distance that the fish travelled and its growth are sent to the anglers who first tagged the fish and the anglers who recaptured it. A recapture certificate is also issued, along with a small reward for those really exciting recaptures!

The NSW DPI Game Fish Tagging Program issues tags free of charge and works in close association with the NSW Game Fishing Assoc, the Game Fishing Assoc of Aust and the ANSA (NSW Branch). The program is run using funds from the NSW Recreational Fishing Trust. Over 445,000 fish have been tagged under the program so far. If you would like to get involved in the program please phone (02) 4424 7423 or email gamefish.tagging@dpi.nsw.gov.au.

Photo Credits: NSW DPI Fisheries.