A Nigerian Fisherman captured a Blue Marlin Fish reportedly worth $2.6 million but ate it with his friends.

According to AFP Fact Check, the alleged $2.6 million value of the fish was taken from a July 2019 article by CNBC on the White Marlin Open in the US – a week-long fishing competition held every August.

The $2.6 million payout was for the largest white marlin caught during the 2018 competition; however, the largest blue marlin received a prize of $924,000.

AFP Fact Check reached out, and organisers of the competition indeed confirmed that the Nigerian fisherman could not have raked in millions of dollars for his catch.

“In the United States, there is not a commercial market for blue marlin. This fish would only have value if caught in a tournament that offers prize money for blue marlin,” said Madelyne Rowan, tournament director.

“In order for a blue marlin to have the potential to be worth a million dollars in the White Marlin Open, approximately $20,000 in entry fees would need to be paid,” Rowan added.

Sean Amor, a captain for Hooked on Africa fishing charters in South Africa, also agreed with Rowan, saying that marlin’s market value would never sell for millions of dollars.

A local Nigerian fisherman is making rounds on social media for eating a Blue Marlin fish reportedly worth $.26million (N1.2b) moments after it was captured.

The fisherman, whose name is not yet known, captured the Blue Marlin fish in the Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State and shared it with members of his community who had no idea they were sitting on a gold mine. Shortly after the news of the capture broke out on the internet, people began researching to learn more about the mysterious fish only to find out it’s worth.

According to a CNBC report, the marlin fish is worth about $31,325.30 per pound. Furthermore, the females, which are significantly larger than males, can reach 14 feet in length and weigh more than 1,985 pounds, while average sizes tend to be in the range of 11 feet and 200 to 400 pounds.

The fish is not primarily intended for human consumption because it contains unhealthy amounts of mercury and other contaminants; however, their meat is considered a delicacy, particularly in Japan, where it is served raw as “Sashimi.”

The blue marlin of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans are more widely pursued by sport fishermen than any other marlin species. Their wide distribution in tropical oceanic waters and seasonally into temperate zones makes them available to many anglers, and their potential to reach great sizes and spectacular fighting ability makes them a highly desired catch to some anglers.

Below are some people’s reactions to how the fisherman missed out on the opportunity fo a lifetime.