NAGS HEAD, N.C. (WNCN) – For a few special days in April, fishing enthusiasts flocked to a pier along North Carolina’s Outer Banks for a rare chance at catching bluefin tuna, huge fish usually found in much deeper parts of the Atlantic Ocean.

But, the bluefin fun at the pier is over – government officials have ordered no more fishing for bluefin tuna at the site, according to Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head.

The big tuna began showing up at the pier two weeks ago on the final day of March, when several anglers worked for hours to land the fish, the historic Nags Head pier reported. A huge bluefin tuna jumping out of the surf was photographed later that day just off the pier.

A week later, last Monday, the giant fish were still hanging around Jennette’s Pier.

That day, Mike Dauses captured video and photos of a fisherman who hooked a hulking bluefin – and was struggling to land it.

“Not every day you see someone catch a bluefin tuna off the pier!!” said Dauses, of Newport News, Virginia.

On April 4, Stefan Turko, 22, of Kitty Hawk, caught a 140-pound bluefin tuna in his kayak near the end of Jennette’s Pier.

That story attracted a lot of attention – even a story on TV – with Turko posing for photos with the huge tuna.

The very next day, a man named Aki Min was in a small kayak-type vessel and caught a 154-pound bluefin tuna right beside Jennette’s Pier.

“I decided it was the sort of opportunity I could not pass up,” Min told a bait shop after hearing of Turko’s big catch the day before. “I would regret it if I did not try.”

And just a week ago on Sunday – for the third straight day – someone landed one of the giant bluefins. This time it was a 64-inch fish pulled onto a boat just off the end of Jennette’s Pier.

Then – just a little over a day later – it was all over.

“A NOAA law enforcement officer visited Jennette’s Pier this morning and advised management that it is illegal for our customers to fish for bluefin tuna,” the pier management wrote on Facebook.

Jennette’s Pier managers added they were advised to remove all bluefin tuna bite references from their social media platforms “because it is considered promoting an illegal activity.”

The pier said the officer told them:

“It is a violation to fish for, catch, possess, retain, or land Atlantic bluefin tuna, blue marlin, white marlin, or roundscale spearfish without a valid permit or endorsement.” The first violation carries a $2,000 fine, the pier wrote.

The responses on social media were overwhelmingly against the government decision.

A satirical photo that appeared in many Facebook feeds showed three police officers kicking a man lying down on Jennette’s Pier as he cried and clutched a bluefin tuna.

Of course, some people blamed the entire problem on Facebook.

“This is a perfect example of how social media ruins everything,” wrote Trey Dunavant, a fisherman who offers fishing charters in Oregon Inlet and up to Virginia.