An extremely rare flying fish has reportedly been spotted swimming in Plymouth waters. The exotic-looking creature was filmed close to the surface with its distinctive wing-like fins spread out. Flying fish are usually found in warm tropical and subtropical waters and are said to be an extremely rare sight around the UK.
The remarkable visitor was spotted by experienced fisherman Wayne Hand, known online as The Shore Hunter, in Plymouth on Sunday September 20, as reported by What's The Jam.
Wayne said: “Something really different from Plymouth. I’ve not heard of or seen one before in the UK. It’s definitely real.”
Flying fish use their unusually large fins to glide above the surface of the sea, helping them escape predators. While occasional specimens have previously been recorded in British waters, they are far from their usual tropical and subtropical habitats.
The unusual sighting comes amid a string of reports of species more commonly associated with warmer climates turning up in the UK, including praying mantises, locusts and exotic sea slugs. The latest discovery sparked concern among some locals about warming seas and the potential impact on native wildlife.
One person said: “People honestly think that our oceans warming is a good thing. Yeah, you might catch different species of fish, but what about the fish that need cooler water to live, and the other environmental damage warmer water will cause?”
Another person added: “That’s mental. If the little fish from warm waters are here, the big fish can’t be too far behind.”
A third commenter wrote: “Everyone saying great to see this due to rising temps. I say quite sad that we have done this and that our native species are rapidly disappearing.”
Another person added: “New species are not great to see, they literally take resources from our current species and completely F up the food chain, causing a domino effect – which will ultimately lead to the collapse of our ecosystem! People are so uneducated. It absolutely baffles me that this is not common knowledge.”
Extremely Rare Flying Fish Spotted in Plymouth