As per the media report an Atlantic bonito was 55cm long and weighed 1.7 kg, and was caught by Peter Caunter while he was netting for bass near the Gabbard sandbanks, just offshore from Harwich. Caunter donated the rare fish to scientists at the Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (Cefas), in Lowestoft, for further study. Cefas’ Dr Jim Ellis said that the 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.
Dr Ellis also said that they are 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.
Cefas is the UK’s largest and most diverse applied marine science organisation that operates as an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). It provides evidence-based scientific advice, manages related data and information, conducts world-class scientific research, and facilitates collaborative action through wide-ranging relationships.
