A PAIR of Guernsey fisherman were astonished when they caught a fish which has confounded local marine experts.

Adrian Brache, 39, and Paul Pennington, 50, have more than 70 years’ fishing experience between them.

But they found something they had never seen before when they pulled up one of their pots on Monday.

‘We were potting for lobsters and crabs off the east coast of Herm,’ said Mr Brache.

‘I pulled up one. There was a lot of seaweed, but this fish was easy to spot.’

What they had found was a three-bearded rockling. The small brown fish are regularly caught off Guernsey and are either thrown back or used for bait.

But this one was bright orange. They immediately put their prize catch into a bucket of sea water and called local marine biologist Richard Lord.

One of the experts with whom Mr Lord has been in touch has responded and said he believed the fish has only xanthophores – yellow pigmentation – and that that has led to the unusual colouring.