April 2022: an angelfish. “It’s been a very long time since we’ve seen any here.” According to the Apecs (Association for the study and conservation of selachians) and the Marine Biology Station and Marinarium of Concarneau, the presence of an angel shark, brought up on Thursday April 21 in its nets by a fisherman from Cap- Sizun, is rare and quite exceptional on the coasts of southern Finistère, according to scientists. This species is in fact listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species with the status “Critically Endangered”. A small specimen had already been captured and released at the exit of Douarnenez Bay in April 2015.
August 2019. A Lago Stephanus Tetraogon. This rare specimen was caught in the Étocs sector in Penmarc’h by Pierre-Yves Stéphan, recreational fisherman and owner of Baradoz Glas, based in Kérity.
August 2019. In the bay of Audierne. Four Lagocephalus Lagocephalus caught
Four oceanic Tetrodon-hares (scientific name: Lagocephalus) had been fished with a longline in a depth of fifteen meters off Pors-Poulhan, in Plouhinec, by the Gwenn Ha Du, a boat from Saint-Guénolé. They were taken to the Aquashow, where they were quarantined while they acclimatized. These fish of the Tretraodon family, like the Asian puffer fish, swell when they feel in danger. Its viscera and skin are poisonous. Although they are listed as living in the northeast Atlantic, this fish is considered rare in Brittany.
September 2021. A bluefin tuna leaping off Fouesnant. Current on our coasts, but anecdotal for the shot: a bluefin tuna of a beautiful size which was chasing a sand eel appeared near the boat of Laurent Francheteau who sent us this photo.
August 2016. A skinny 1.50 m in front of Penmarc’h. Also nicknamed “gruntler”, running along our coasts, a skinny 32 kg fish was caught on this beautiful day in August 2013 by Emmanuel Prigent, a Fouesnant resident who is passionate about spearfishing. He immortalized the event.
In 2013. Caviar in the Bay of Douarnenez. A fisherman made a strange catch in Cap-Sizun, in March 2013: a good-sized sturgeon (2.380 kg) who was walking around there. Again, the fish was released.
January 2022. A 2 meter octopus. Predators of the scallop shell, it proliferates in Breton waters. It is therefore not uncommon. But sometimes beautiful specimens are brought up by fishermen in Cornwall.
August 2020. Leatherback turtle in Douarnenez. A leatherback turtle is observed at the end of summer 2020 by the agents of the Iroise Marine Park in Douarnenez. The presence of this animal would be explained, it seems, by the abundance of large jellyfish.
September 2021. A leatherback turtle stranded in Treffiagat. The animal weighing more than 500 kg ran aground on the beach of Reun, in Treffiagat-Léchiagat, in the Pays bigouden.
April 2021. Three imposing basking sharks near the coast. Three imposing specimens were observed by a team of divers in front of Guilvinec. Watch the video below.
May 2021. A porbeagle shark in Concarneau. “In a port, it’s really not common, it’s not at all its natural habitat! A young porbeagle shark, more accustomed to living in the North Atlantic, was observed at the foot of the ramparts of the Ville Close [Vidéo].
May 2019. A basking shark reported between Loctudy and Île aux Moutons. In May, a yachtsman called the Brest Association for the study and conservation of selachians (Apecs) to report a basking shark between Loctudy and Île aux Moutons.
August 2019. A whale stranded in Penmarc’h. A fin whale of about 12 meters was found on the sand of Ster beach, in Penmarc’h. The animal was evacuated after being autopsied.
Practice
To report a sighting of a shark or ray in Brittany waters: 06 77 59 69 83. Association for the Study and Conservation of Selachians (APECS). Website: https://www.asso-apecs.org
Also contact the Concarneau Marine Station on 02 98 50 81 64 or Océanopolis on 02 98 34 40 40.