Waterford, Unusal Species

[nevilleskibb]

Hi Guys,
wasn't sure where to post this because it it is a report and a question. I was out of Dunmore East approx 8miles last weekend trying for a few mackeral and was sucessfull :lol: . I ate well for the next few days, no shortage of them that day. Among the mackeral came up simular type of fish but with a different design on his back. It would easly be mistaken for a mackeral but definatly different. Hope to have pics soon.

Has anyone had a simular experience or can enlightn me on this. I have tried to contact the Central Fisheries Board but there never seems to anyone available to talk about this! Obviously they are very busy :twisted: .
Anyone able to point me in the right direction to identify this fish?

[Wes]

If all else fails Nev, one of our members is into the strange and unusual of the sea world. Think he goes by 'rarefish'. drop him a PM.

[raymondo]

difficult with no photo! but there are two strains or breeds of mackeral the normal one and another rarer one where the bars along the back are squiggles not solid bars.

[nevilleskibb]

Yeah its hard to explain with out a pic, I'm not in the world of digital camera yet so i have to wait for them to be developed. As soon as i get them i will post them.
The pattern on the back is simular to the mackeral but thinner black lines, with different pattern.
Thanks lads.

[Adam Shannon]

Scad Maybe?



http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/Species ... =trachurus

http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/fish%20-%20scad.htm

[raymondo]

i've hunted for info about the scribble backed mackeral (squiggle backed)and found nothing! i'm sure that i'm right here i just can't prove it!!! if yopur fish was mackeral sized/shaped but the black bars were not solid but broken like scibble then i'm almost sure that this is what it is.

[barry murphy]

they were probley scad seen them been cought alot off dunmore.that was a long way out to go for just mackerel we got them at around a mile last sat off brownstown head and seen lads geting them a few houndred yards of tramore while fishing the rocks last stat eveing.

[nevilleskibb]

Definitely not Scad, cought a few of them in the past, hope to have a pic this afternoon.

[nevilleskibb]

Sorry about the delay but i finally got the pic posted. I posted a few of them in my personal album and also one in the Sea Angling Ireland SAC Album. So anyone know what species this fish is?
Thanks Nev

[Wes]

Nice pic. Personally i wouldn't have given it a second look, what caught your eye? Just the pattern?

[nevilleskibb]

I pulled up about 4 at that time and he really stood out, even before i had him in the boat i noticed he was different. Thank God he didn't fall off!

[raymondo]

as i thought its a scribble mackeral its not a different species or any thing just an unusually marked mackeral. from memory -and that is all i have to go on as i can't find any thing at the moment they are more common in southern waters.

[nevilleskibb]

Thats interesting, i cant find anything on it either. thanks anyway. I have sent the pics to the Central Fisheries Board so we will have to wait and see what they have to say, nice to get the official answer.
Thanks Nev
P. S. Let ye all know when i know

[raymondo]

"According to Helou, mackerel is an often maligned fish. The mackerel found in Greece have slightly different markings than the Atlantic mackerel often found in American and British fish markets. Both can be used with great success." http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/07/ ... 4260.shtml
"The mackerel's stunning markings act as camouflage for them in the open sea. However there can be variations in the patterns, from the characteristic zig-zag stripes to a kind of scribble on the upper body." http://www.gourmetworld.co.uk/recipe/
these are the only references i could find and they are both food related!!!!

[Rarefish]

Hello Nev,

The common mackerel (Scomber scombrus) often exhibits unusual colouration patterns, but your specimen looks like a Spanish Mackerel (S. colias) which (apart from colouration patterns) is distinguished from the latter by the presence of a swinbladder. Although there are only 7 comfirmed records of S. colias from Irish waters, I am sure that it occurs more frequently than we think. If you still have the specimen I would be glad to give you a definitive diagnosis.

Regards,

Rarefish

[nevilleskibb]

Hi Rarefish,
I do still have the specimen in the freezer. Made sure to keep it just in case.
When i caught him i put him in the bait well with fresh water he seemed to stay alive for a very long time where as the ordinary mackerel that were in there too died. Not sure what a swim bladder dose but would it keep them alive longer?
Will you need to see the specimen?
Thanks Nev.

[jd]

I can't see how it could be a spanish mackerel
[img]http://indian-river.fl.us/fishing/fish/mackspan.jpg[/img]


vs

<img src="http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/bulletin%20board/album_thumbnail.php?pic_id=154">

:/

look at the gill fins-concave vs convex i think

[Bigbill.]

Can't figure out how to post pics to forum yet!!!!!!!!!!
Check this link.

[img]http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/bulletin%20board/album_pic.php?pic_id=168[/img]
Its a hell of a long way from Australia!

[nevilleskibb]

Hi Bigbill,
that pic really looks like it alright. Where did you get the pic? Was there a name for it?
I have contacted the central fisheries board and talked to Willie Roach and he wants to see the body. So that should be all sorted next week, I hope we can get to the bottom of this. Thanks for the info, every bit helps.
Nev

[Bigbill.]

http://www.amonline.net.au/fishes/fishf ... tralas.htm
Its an australian museum website.
Maybe its working here during the summer like all the other australians.javascript:emoticon(':lol:')
Laughing