Bluefin Tuna Leaps From Sea Near Surfers in Cornwall

Video footage has documented a remarkable encounter between surfers and a large bluefin tuna off the coast of Cornwall. The striking imagery shows the powerful fish leaping nearly out of the water at Fistral Beach in Newquay, in what appeared to be a feeding frenzy.

The incident occurred last Tuesday during a surfing class when the bluefin tuna, in pursuit of a smaller fish, emerged from the sea. The fish was observed snapping up a mackerel that had briefly jumped from the water moments before.

Jacob Waller, 23, manager of the Newquay Activity Centre, captured the video. He confirmed the footage was authentic and not digitally generated, stating, "It's a real video."

"We filmed it just before lunchtime down at Fistral Beach, capturing the insane moment a bluefin tuna leaps out of the water capturing this mackerel in its mouth," Waller said. "There was a bit of a feeding frenzy going on. It was an insane moment."

Waller noted that bluefin tuna are present in British waters from mid-summer to late autumn. He added, "It is real - they are in our waters, these bluefin tuna. They're here around mid-summer to late autumn."

Bluefin tuna, recognized as one of the ocean's largest and fastest predatory fish, have become more frequently sighted along the British coastline. This resurgence follows a period of decline in the 1990s, attributed to overfishing.

Strict international conservation measures implemented in recent years have contributed to the recovery of bluefin tuna populations. Their return to areas like Cornwall is particularly notable, as the fish follow shoals of prey close to the shore.