Unusual Fish Caught Off Israel May Be New Species for Region

A fisherman from Jisr az-Zarqa, Nimer Jamil al-Mukhtar, has caught an unusual fish in the Mediterranean Sea. The specimen features a wide, silvery body, long golden fins, and a forked tail. Specialists are now examining the fish to determine its exact species. According to Maariv, the fish is believed to belong to the Trachinotus genus, commonly known as pompano. While some species of this genus inhabit the Indian and Pacific Oceans, they are not typically found in the Mediterranean.

Sami al-Ali, Secretary-General of the Professional Fishermen's Union of Israel, stated that the fish has been handed over to experts for scientific research. If confirmed as a species not previously recorded in Israeli waters, this discovery could be one of the first indications of its presence off the country's coast. The caught fish visually resembles Trachinotus blochii, or the golden pompano, which lives in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, including the Red Sea. However, a definitive species identification is still pending.

Another related species, Trachinotus ovatus, known as the Mediterranean pompano or kehl, is frequently found off the coast of Israel. This species has a more elongated body and distinctive dark fin tips and is well-known to ichthyologists. Researchers will work to identify the exact species of the new catch. If it is indeed a Red Sea migrant, they will investigate how it reached the eastern Mediterranean, with the Suez Canal being a potential route for Red Sea fish migration.