Snake Mackerel

Is this Bruce's Mystery Fish?

Thanks to Prof Daniel Pauly, University of British Columbia, who knew to forward my query to S. Gail Gainey, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. She answered:

"It appears that you have caught a Snake Mackerel (Gempylus serpens) or something similar. The Snake Mackerels live in mid-waters but come to the surface at night. They are pelagic, predatory fishes that are often attracted to light and may leap aboard ships at night. Most are elongate and have oily or flabby flesh. Many have 1 or more finlets behind the dorsal or anal fin and are dark in color with silvery reflections."



Bruce will be interested in the provenance of the drawing: it was provided by http://www.horta.uac.pt. - yes, the University of the Azores, Horta, Portugal!