Cold-water fish makes rare visit to Irish waters

A long-living fish which prefers the chillier waters of northern latitudes has been caught by an Irish fishing vessel on the Porcupine Bank.

The golden redfish, or sebastes norvegicus, is prevalent in Iceland, and can be found along the North American coast, south of Greenland and along the Norwegian coast.

The 5.9kg specimen was caught by Aran islander Tomás Conneely of the Ocean Harvester II, a Rossaveal, Co Galway, vessel which fishes for prawns on the Porcupine.

New Zealand chef

He sold the fish to Stefan Griesbach of Gannet Fishmongers, who offered it to New Zealand chef

Jess Murphy

of Galway’s Kai restaurant.

The golden redfish has been very rarely found in these waters, according to Dr Declan Quigley of Mara Beo/Dingle Oceanworld in Co Kerry.

Most of the recent rare fish recordings have been of warm-water species, reflecting the impact of rising sea temperatures.

Dr Quigley said this cold-water species swims at depths of 100m to 1,000m, and can live for 60 years and weigh up to 15kg.

A specimen was reported from Isle of Man waters in the Irish Sea in 1927, and seven juveniles, which may have travelled in larvae dispersed from more northern latitudes, were authenticated between 1968 and 1978 in the Dingle Bay area.

French trawler

In 2005 a French trawler caught a female golden redfish off the Irish northwest coast.

Ms Murphy served this most recent catch to Galway arts festival visitors as a “ceviche” or Peruvian seafood starter, soaking it in coconut milk and lemon, along with rapeseed, soaked red onions, lime juice, avocado and coriander.

“Its flesh was so delicate and we felt everyone should have the opportunity to try it – so we went for the starter for many rather than a main course for a few.”