Image: The swordfish sadly washed up on Barry Island beach. Courtesy Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales

The National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth has come to the aid of Vale of Glamorgan Council after the discovery on July 3 of a 2.2 metre long (6 feet) swordfish on Barry Island beach.

Colin Smith from the Council sent photographs of the dead fish to Plymouth expert Doug Herdson, who identified it as a swordfish (Xiphias gladius) – or Pysogodyn cleddyf in Welsh. This species would normally be found in warmer waters of between 18 and 22°.

National Museum Cardiff then took over. Dr Peter Howlett, who is Curator of Lower Vertebrates at the museum, confirmed Plymouth’s identification. He was also able to establish that the creature had been dead for only a few days. It had however been scavenged by other creatures so the cause of death was not able to be determined.

The museum will add the specimen to their collection.

Scavenging of the dead fish means cause of death cannot be determined. Courtesy Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales

Despite its immense size, the specimen is of a young swordfish. At ‘only’ 2.24 metres long and weighing in at 60 – 80 kg, it is half the size an adult swordfish can grow to.

Although swordfish have been found off the Welsh coast on a few occasions, they are more commonly caught around the Bay of Biscay and South West Ireland. The first recorded swordfish found off the Welsh coast was in 1905 off Newport. A live specimen was discovered at Rhossili on the Gower in 2003 but despite rescue efforts, it could not be saved.

Douglas Herdson, Information Officer at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth, drew attention to the amazing variety of sea life off British waters. He said, “We have phenomenal life thriving in the seas around Britain, some of the richest areas being off the Welsh coast. It is great that fish like the swordfish and sunfish are being seen along with turtles, dolphins and basking sharks. We have wonderful marine biodiversity and must celebrate and protect it."

For this reason, National Museum Cardiff is suggesting that people avoid eating swordfish. This is so that demand does not cause overfishing of this species. It is thought the population has already seen a drop in numbers to only 35% of its original size.