
June 28, 2015
William Fintel of Lewes with his state record 19.7-pound blueline tilefish.
A man competing in the Delaware Sport Fishing Tournament set a state record when he caught a 19.7-pound blueline tilefish in the Atlantic Ocean's Baltimore Canyon, about 65 miles offshore.
The record 33-inch, 19.7-pound catch was initially confirmed at the Lewes Harbor Marina before it was verified by Officer Adam Roark of the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources police.
Blueline tilefish are relatively new to the tournament, though others have been submitted, but Fintel's catch was the first to be verified by DNREC personnel. The species can grow up to 35 inches long and may live as long as 43 years, feeding on bottom creatures including crabs, shrimp, snails, worms, sea urchins and small fish.
Because of the increasing popularity of the species, federal and state agencies, including the Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife, have proposed fishery conservation measures to keep the harvest of blueline tilefish at a sustainable level.