A fisherman’s whopping catch of a 110lb black grouper this week won praise from friends, who highlighted Chris Burgess as “a steward with a conscience” when it comes to protected species.

Mr Burgess landed the giant off the Shore Shore near Castle Harbour in the East End on Tuesday.

His friend, Glenn Clinton, called attention to the haul in the wake of the commercial fisherman’s expedition to the Argus Banks this month.

Mr Burgess caught an endangered red rockfish, but it was released unharmed back into the ocean.

But he said credit should be shared with colleague Mark Terceira, who made sure that the fish was returned safely to the sea.

He added: “It was the right thing to do.”

Black groupers are also protected by fishing restrictions, but those regulations are not as strict as those covering red rockfish.