Red Band Fish *

Cepola rubescens


 
 
 
21 October 2007
A Red Band Fish, Cepola rubescens, was caught on rod and line in deep water from Plymouth sound breakwater.

This fish is an unusual angling capture. The Red-band Fish is a small fish, elongate like an eel, that lives in vertical burrows in mud. 
 

Report and Capture by David Wood


In February 1970, a Worthing fisherman found a fish amongst the seaweed after a bad storm that he was unfamiliar with. Unfortunately, the fish died before I could get there, so I sent the preserved body to Alwyne Wheeler who was able to verify my identification. This fish is rare in the Eastern English Channel and I gave the fish to them for their collection.

The Red Band Fish is a small fish, elongate like an eel, that lives in vertical burrows in mud. The burrows may be destroyed in storms and the fish are sometimes washed on to the strandline.

Message: 6
   Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2001 19:20:32 +0000 (GMT)
   From: dave munday <tarewaste@yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: Re: Red Band Fish

I've not heard of them very locally, but the Looe
trawlers used to catch them in fair numbers in an area
off Plymouth, particularly after bad weather.
Dave Munday
--- Andy Horton <Glaucus@hotmail.com> wrote: > Hello,
>
> A Red Band Fish, Cepola rubescens, has been reported
> recently washed up
> dead on the beach at Maenporth (near Falmouth). Have
> there been any other
> reports of this fish being washed up?
>
> "It was approx. 300mm long, 20mm wide and 25mm deep.
> It was salmon pink in
> colour-all over, with large eyes either side of its
> head, a large (for the
> size of its head) mouth right at the  front of its
> head with a row of tiny
> teeth." (Michael Wattis by EMail).
>
> Cheers
>
> Andy Horton
> British Marine Life Study Society
> EMail:Glaucus@hotmail.com
> (EMail messages are not monitored by third parties.)
>
> Marine Wildlife of the North-east Atlantic Ocean
> Smart Group (commenced 1
> August 2000)
> Group Home:
> http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Glaucus
>