Tropical flying fish discovered in Devon

Winged flying fish normally found in the warm waters of the South Atlantic and Pacific have been spotted for the first time in UK waters.

Fishermen off the South Devon coast were baffled to find the six-inch winged creature in their catch.

The rare catch by the Brixham-based trawler backs up claims by marine experts that rising sea temperatures in Britain are attracting a growing number of tropical fish. The find follows the recent discovery of semi-tropical scorpion fish and triggerfish in Cornwall.

"There have been two or three sightings of the flying fish by yachtsmen in mid Channel but until now we have not been 100 per cent certain they exist in our waters," said Douglas Henderson at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth.

"It's not normally found north of the Bay of Biscay and is one of a number of fish discovered recently which may be here as a result of rising sea temperatures."

Source: www.divemagazine.co.uk