Atlantic Bonito Caught In North Sea

The fish, which was 55cm long and weighed 1.7 kg, was caught by Mr Peter Caunter while he was netting for bass near the Gabbard sandbanks, just offshore from Harwich.

Mr Caunter kindly donated the fish to scientists at the Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (Cefas), in Lowestoft, for further study.

Cefas' Dr Jim Ellis said, "Atlantic bonito tend to be found in warm waters, and this is an unusual species to be caught off East Anglia. There have been other oceanic fish reported from the North Sea in recent months, including blackfish and Ray's bream.

"We're always very interested in hearing about any unusual fish being caught, as it enables us to learn more about not only unusual species, but how the seas off Britain may be changing."

The Atlantic bonito is a small type of tuna and a close relative of the mackerel. This fast-swimming fish is most commonly found in warmer waters. UK fishermen occasionally catch them off southwest England, but there are very few records of this species in the southern North Sea.