Ray's Bream, "Brama brama" flapping on the shore

Cul a cnoic

I originally had this posted in the nature section and was asked to post in this section.

Friday night 26/6/09, while walking the beach (myself and the 3 boys) a fish appeared in front of us flapping in the shallow water and with the ebbing tide, was left flapping on the sand. This was about 10pm on Carrickfinn Beach in west Donegal. I did not know what type fish it was and took some photos using the phone and brought it back into the water but it kept trying to beach itself, after about 20 minutes of this, I gave up as it was nearing death at this stage. The fish was 20" long, about 3lb in weight and had very sharp teeth..
　
We asked a few people we met if they knew what it was but no one knew. I brought the fish to the owner of the "Irish Skipper", who lives nearby, and he wasn't sure as to what it was but said he would check with his editor. This morning I got a call from him with the answer, a rare type of bream called Ray's Bream, "Brama brama". He told me that they are named after the famous naturalist John Ray who found one washed ashore in 1681. It is also known as "Atlantic pomfret". This is a deepwater fish, up to 1000m and is a common bream in southern European waters, less common in northern seas. An open sea fish which migrates northward according to water temperature. They are cought mainly for the Spanish market.

Has anyone else seen one of these or know anything further about them?

Was thinking of bringing it to a taxidermist to get it stuffed rather than throwing it on the pan but was too late. It was already cooked...

Pictures below








And below, the happy(ish) boy who was the first to see it. :eek:

Zzippy

Wow, nice find! Ray's bream alright, occasionally washed up on beaches around the coast here. See here for another similar report http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/bulletin%20board/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7722

Cul a cnoic

Zzippy wrote: »

Wow, nice find! Ray's bream alright, occasionally washed up on beaches around the coast here. See here for another similar report http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/bulletin%20board/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7722

Thanks Zzippy. Do you know if the are washed up regular as this link is from 4 years ago.

Zzippy

I've only heard of a handful of instances, they're a deepwater fish so its rare enough for them to come into shallow water. I would say that's a once in a lifetime sight for anyone. What did it taste like by the way?

Steffano2002

Beautiful fish! Got a bit of a scary face though! :pac:

Steffano2002

Cul a cnoic wrote: »

Do you know if the are washed up regular as this link is from 4 years ago.

Every 4 years or so.




























lol

CJhaughey

They aren't that rare of a fish, it's just that most people will never be out angling where these fish are mainly found.
They are generally found in deeper waters 200m-1000m and are more often caught at night by commercial vessels targeting midwater species.
They do wash up from time to time on the shore though as you have found.
Their diet is mainly shrimps and small fish found at the same depth.
I have eaten one and found it to be a tasty fish but I have heard reports that they can have a heavy parasite load.

Cool looking fish though and in very good condition.

jd

Long finned bream a few months ago in Bray for comparison..
http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/bulletin%20board/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=18031&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=bream+bray

Cul a cnoic

jd wrote: »

Long finned bream a few months ago in Bray for comparison..
http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/bulletin%20board/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=18031&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=bream+bray

Thanks JD