A very rare leopard fish has been caught off Donegal’s coast.
The fish, also known as a spotted wolf fish, swims in deep water across parts of the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic between northern Russia, Scandinavia and Nova Scotia.
The 5.9 kilogram specimen was landed in Greencastle by the Donegal fishing vessel MV Foyle Warrior.
Galway fish merchant Stefan Griesbach contacted rare fish expert Declan Quigley after he spotted it in the box of fish from Greencastle.
The leopard fish has been declared a threatened species in Canada but does not have international protection status.
It is generally found much further north and in deep cold water, according to Mr Quigley.
From his knowledge there are only two records this far south, both off Scotland.
The two previous records are from the North Sea – off Aberdeen in October 1892 and off St Abbs Head, Berwickshire in June 1993.
Declan Quigley told maritime magazine afloat.ie that the fish may be this far south due to melting glaciers or may be adapting to warmer sea temperatures.
He said he came across one report based on human observation during a scuba diving event in June 2016 off Tory Island but said it was an unconfirmed identification.
The leopard fish primarily feeds off crustaceans and molluscs but will eat smaller fish, seaweed and tube worms.
The fish is slow-growing, maturing at around seven years of age and can live up to 21 years.
“They are nice fish to eat – I often had them for dinner during my frequent trips to Norway about 20 years ago,” fish expert Mr Quigley said.
Stefan Griesbach displayed the fish on his Gannet Fishmongers stand at Galway market on Saturday.
He plans to freeze it for taxidermy and to donate it to the Natural History Museum of Ireland in Dublin.
“I might have got €30 for this fish which would have made no sense. This is a much better idea. Maybe the museum will have a little plaque with my name for my grandkids to see,” Mr Griesbach said.
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