This fairly substantial-sized bream is common all around the coast of Britain and Ireland depending upon the season. In mid-summer they can be found off the coast of Ireland, and by autumn they will have travelled to Scotland.
It can reach lengths of almost 70cm, but typically an adult Ray’s bream will be around the 50cm mark, and around 7lb.
They live in the open sea, in mid-water, at depths of around 80m.
IDENTIFICATION
This is a deep-bodied fish that narrows towards the tail. It has very small scales that are quite smooth.
Colouration is dark green/brown across the back with silver flanks. The pectoral fins are yellow.
The dorsal and anal fins are long and low to the body. The first ray of these fins is the longest.
Its tail is long too and sharply concave.
FEEDING
Ray’s bream feed on an array of crustaceans and fishes – basically whatever they find in abundance, from sprats and herring to crabs and crustaceans.
