SWIMMERS were joined by a rare visitor in the bathing pool at Havre des Pas at the weekend – a skate.
The undulate skate – commonly known as an undulate ray – swam into the pool at high tide.
Despite having dark and wavy camouflage patterns on its back, the flatfish was spotted by Michele Prosser, who shared a video on Facebook.
According to the UK Wildlife Trust, the undulate ray is actually a species of skate. Skates are closely related to rays and look similar, but they have a short tail with small fins and no stinging capabilities, whereas rays have a long whip-like tail.
Jersey fishermen used to make up to £1 million a year from catching the sought-after flatfish, until the European Union’s ban was extended to the Island’s waters in 2010.
The ban was introduced to safeguard the future of the under-threat fish, which used to be much more common around Jersey.
