A 279 pound bigeye tuna boated by Shaw Hergenrather of Sterling, Virginia has been certified as the new state record for the species by the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament. Hergenrather captured his record setting fish August 7,1999 at the Norfolk Canyon off Virginia Beach.

Hergenrather's fish, which was almost seven feet long, replaces the 275 pound fish caught by Greg Lohr of Apex, North Carolina as the Virginia record. Lohr caught his fish July 10, 1993 at the Norfolk Canyon.

Hergenrather was fishing for billfish when the huge tuna crashed a trolled Spanish mackerel bait. A fight lasting well over an hour ensued before the leader could be controlled and the crew on the "Canyon Express" led by Captain Greg Span could boat the fish.

This is the fifth time in the last thirteen years a new state record bigeye tuna has been established, easily the largest number of new records for any species during that time period. All five of the state record bigeyes were caught at the Norfolk Canyon during the six week period from the last week of June through the first week of August.