Several unusual warm-water species have turned up on western seaboard

Marine biologist Declan Quigley has long suspected that Ireland’s Porcupine Bank may have been the mythical island of Hy-Brasil, before sea levels rose after the last ice age.

Now, the netting of a second coconut off the Porcupine this summer by an Irish vessel lends further credence to his theory – in a week when several unusual warm-water species have also navigated their way to the western seaboard.

The coconut was caught by Thomas Fitzpatrick of the Shauna Ann and landed into Rossaveal, Co Galway, several days ago…..

The Irish Times 17/08/2013 Read the article ‘Exotic Porcupine Bank catch nets second coconut’

Max Foreman (8) with the 15 inch prawn and his cousins Luca Ristori who is holding a toad fish, Eabha Ristori (10) with the Alphonsino Beryx Splendens deep water fish and Ellie Ristori (3) who is holding one of the coconuts found at sea. Photograph: Joe O’Shaughnessy.