Expertly-Told Fishy Tales

Did you know that British Seas can give African wildlife’s Big Five a run for their money? Think Basking Shark, Killer Whale, Fin Whale, Sun Fish and perhaps surprisingly the Bootlace Worm – stretching up to an amazing 55m.  All can be found in the Celtic Sea or in the case of the worm, on our shores.  With this appeal to our pride, fish expert Doug Herdson (Centre in picture, taken during Woolacombe BioBlitz, Sept 2013), late of the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth, launched our Spring  Programme on 16 January as he introduced us to  the Fish of the North Devon Coast.  

Taking us from shore to sea, he started with the rocky shore dwellers with which we are most familiar.  He helped us sort out blennies and gobies, to learn about the good parenting of wrasse and pipefish, and to beware the Lesser Weaver.  Doug and fellow members of Plymouth’s Team Fish had caught over 20 whilst seine netting at Woolacombe during our September Bioblitz.

Next came the commercially & recreationally significant fish of the region, Pollock, Plaice & other flatfish including the Rays so important to North Devon’s fishery, Porbeagle and other sharks, but not the Great White despite claims to the contrary.  The frequent claims to have seen or landed "Mako Sharks" almost always refer to Porbeagles.  Astonishingly, tagged Basking Sharks are now known to make trans-oceanic trips - across the Atlantic and Pacific. Finally and with an appeal to report sightings he told us of the increasing numbers of warm water fish, Triggers, Bream, Jacks and even Swordfish at Barry in the Bristol Channel.  

He left a full house wanting to know more, and keen to contribute to his rare fish work with their own reports of fishy finds: Doug Herdson, Marine Fish Information Services [email protected]