Fishmonger lands monster catch with massive 77kg halibut

A fishmonger took delivery of a monster catch – a massive halibut tipping the scales at 77kg.

Campbell Mickel, 50, received the whopping 6ft fish last Saturday and said it took four people to haul it onto the window display at his fish market.

It was caught in the North Sea and taken to Peterhead Fish Market, where Mr Mickel bought it last week.

It arrived at his fishmongers, Eddie’s Seafood Market, in Edinburgh last weekend and dwarfed the regular-sized halibut which weight between 10-14kg.

The monster catch was filleted and sold to restaurants around the capital – with Mr Mickel and his wife, Giselle, 37, enjoying cooking up the prized cheeks at home.

Mr Mickel, who also owns Merienda Restaurant in Stockbridge, said he was delighted to see fish that size can still exist.

His fishmonger William Elliot was pictured alongside the whopper to give an idea of the sheer scale of it.

Mr Mickel said: “It’s a beast and it wasn’t cheap that’s for sure.

“It was wrapped up after I bought it and shipped to me on two pallets.

“In my younger years as a chef we would get halibut in twice the size of this one.

“But I am new to being a fishmonger, I only took it up less than a year ago, so it’s the biggest fish I have had in the market.

“The hardest part was getting it into the shop window on display.

“It took four men to get it up there, it’s not the easiest job in the world lifting the dead weight of a 77kg slimy fish.

“It dwarfed the other halibut next to it.

“It’s fantastic news for our seas and oceans to see this size come out.

“Seaspircy had a lot of valid points about the fishing industry, but it’s amazing that there is still that size of halibut in the sea that has been given the chance to grow to that size.

“I’m delighted to see that fish this size can still exist.

“It’s good news for the oceans and I’m looking forward to seeing more that have had the time to thrive and grow as this one has.”