Terrific turbot’s catch leads to euphoria at harbour

While thousands of people, across the region, enjoyed a magical dusting of winter snow, on Sunday (February 5) one band of fisherman from Littlehampton were in a state of “euphoria” after catching an enormous, 24-and-a-half-pound turbot.

Skipper John Kendall, 65, and his crew mate, Wayne Babbage, caught the mammoth fish in their ship’s net, about six miles off the coast, at Kingsmere Rocks.

John, of Rope Walk, Littlehampton, has fished in the area for more than 30 years. He said: “It was a beautiful fish. I’ve only ever seen three this sort of size in the last 30 years.

“So, I was very concerned about making sure that I didn’t drop it in the water.”

After hauling the turbot into his boat, The Minga, John turned his ship around and headed back to the town, at full speed.

Simon Faber, 39, a fishmonger at Riverside Fish, in Pier Road, Littlehampton, was one of the first people to see the impressive catch.

He said: “I was absolutely gobsmacked. We were all having our pictures taken to have it put on our Facebook profiles. There was just a real air of euphoria.

“This, for a fisherman, is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. It’s incredible to see something like this.

“It’s been 20 years since I saw a fish this size, caught locally. A lot of people don’t realise what’s out there in the sea, off Littlehampton’s coast. I get a lot of customers asking me where we get some of our produce from.

“They’re stunned when I tell them it’s all local. The sea life near Littlehampton is so diverse.”

The turbot is due to be taken to the Billingsgate Fish Market, in London, later this week.

Simon expects the fish to fetch in excess of £700, with hopes that it will be sold to some of the city’s top restaurants.

He added: “I’ve been to Billingsgate market loads of times, but I can’t remember there ever being a turbot this large on sale there.”