Warm-water anchovies landed by trawlers in Donegal Bay

It may not be quite the weather for Christmas turkey on the beach, but the west coast has thrown up more evidence of global warming. Anchovies have been caught by several fishing vessels as far north as Donegal Bay.

The small herring-like fish is found in enormous schools in the Mediterranean and Pacific and is not indigenous to these colder climes. However, four vessels working on mackerel and herring have reported catches of anchovies, with one of the most substantial hauls made in Donegal Bay within the last week.

Mr John Molloy, scientist with the Marine Institute, told The Irish Times that one vessel working out of Greencastle, Co Donegal, also caught some off Malin Head.

"It is very unusual, particularly so far north," Mr Molloy said. "Occasionally you'd get individual specimens in trawl hauls, but nothing of any note."

Large quantities of pilchard had also been caught off the south coast, he confirmed.

"We have had pilchard fisheries before, so that's not so unusual. However, they are also a southern species," he said.

Mr Kevin Flannery, sea fishery officer with the Department of the Marine, said anchovies had also been caught off the Old Head of Kinsale recently.

"It would seem that the shoals are staying well offshore and may be swimming within a warm movement of water that had been carried up north of Biscay and is holding this area of high pressure with it," Mr Flannery said.

He noted that sea temperatures had shot up in October from 12 degrees to 15 degrees.

The discovery may be part of more extensive changes within the marine environment, including a substantial increase in jellyfish, some of which have been stinging farmed salmon in fish cages.

Marine data buoys located off the Aran islands in the west and Lambay island in the east are collecting information on sea temperatures, but it will take some years before there is a sufficient data bank to indicate trends. In the long term, climate change will not necessarily produce tropical waters off these shores.

The two current, somewhat contradictory, theories suggest that the Atlantic will produce more powerful storms as global warming continues to push up temperatures, or rising temperatures will speed up the melting of Europe's glaciers and the polar ice cap. This could slow or even halt the Gulf Stream which gives Ireland its temperate climate, resulting in Arctic conditions and frozen tundra.

Met ╔ireann's climate division also confirmed the number of gale days has fallen this year, with no gales on the east coast since the beginning of November. This compares to three for this period last year. On the west coast, only three gale days have been recorded at Belmullet, Co Mayo, compared to six last year for this six-week period.