Rare swordfish found on beach

Experts say a rare swordfish that washed up on a beach is only the third known recorded sighting of the fish in Wales.

The 2.24 metre (7.34ft) endangered fish was discovered on a beach at Barry, in the Vale of Glamorgan, on Thursday.

Specialists say the swordfish is more commonly seen in warmer waters.

It is not known how it came to be off the Welsh coast, and it is now at the National Museum of Wales where it will enter the national archive.

Douglas Herdson, from the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth, said he knows of only three swordfish sightings off Wales - the first one was off Newport in 1905 and five years ago one was stranded at Rhossili on Gower.

Mystery

He said: "It's definitely a swordfish, we couldn't tell what killed it I'm afraid. I don't think it was caught by a fisherman."

Mr Herdson said he thought it was unlikely a fisherman would have caught it and thrown it back into the water, as a 60 kilo fish in a good condition could have been valuable.

Mr Herdson said records show the fish have been spotted once near Sweden in recent times.

There are also five records of the species being spotted in Scotland over the 20th century.

He said: "The summer temperatures are okay but the winter temperatures are too cold."

The fish, which can grow over four metres (16 ft), prefers tropical waters and sea temperatures of 18°C to 22°C, migrating to cooler waters to feed in the summer.

They are commonly found in the Bay of Biscay and in the waters of the south and west of Ireland.

Mr Herdson added: " It is great that fish like the swordfish and sunfish are being seen along with the turtles, dolphins and basking sharks.

"We have wonderful marine biodiversity and must celebrate and protect it."

Mr Herdson said it is thought the fish's skeleton would be used by archivists from the national collection.

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National Museum Wales
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