A moray eel species native to warm tropical waters have been caught in the considerably colder waters found off the coast of Cornwall, UK. (picture here)

After catching the 4 feet (120 cm) long fish, West Penwith fishermen brought it to the Newlyn Fish Market auction where it was purchased by fish dealer John Payne of Marisco Fish in Penzance.

”I thought it shouldn’t be there, realised it was rare and it shouldn’t be swimming in these waters so I decided to buy it. It is a one off and first of its kind found in these waters”, said Payne who plans to stuff the eel and keep it in his shop.

Rory Goodall of Cornwall Wildlife Trust has never heard of a tropical moray eel being caught this far north before. “They are not rare in the Mediterranean but I have never heard of them being seen here so it’s possible that they have never been caught in the British waters before”, he said.

Moray eel of the species Gymnothorax meleagris.
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