A fisherman in Alaska documented a stunning catch, an orange-speckled fish with blush flesh on the inside. He didn’t stop there. The fisherman continued showing images of the fish, even after he cooked it, showing off the vibrant blue meat after he finished cooking it.
Joe Chmeleck, the owner of The Lodge at Otter Cove, shared his catch on Facebook in a post quoted by Fox News. He nonchalantly wrote, “Went out fishing today and caught a rock greenling. The flesh is blue. It turns white when you cook it. Mother nature is incredible.”
Chmeleck continued, according to KFVS12, saying, “I had no idea anything like that was going to happen … it’s been absolutely insane. People are going crazy, so, so many people are like, ‘I’ve never seen anything like that.’ I think there are actually 17 different countries that have seen the post so far.”
He concluded the adventure saying, “We filleted it, cooked it up and it was absolutely fantastic.”
The strange story didn’t go unexplained for long. The Facebook group titled Rated Red gave a detailed explanation of what likely caused the blue pigmentation. They also assuaged any fears that the fish may be toxic, given its creepy neon coloration.
They started by describing the normal look of the species, which is far from the bright fish that Chmeleck found on the water. “Rock greenlings are found along the northern Pacific Coast and are known for their mottled dark scales that help them camouflage in rocky environments.”
They followed that with their best description of the science behind the bright blue tint. “Scientists believe the unique blue-green pigments in their tissue result from the fish producing biliverdin, a green bile. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has not provided consumption advice for rock greenlings due to insufficient data on mercury levels in the species.”
Fans and commenters of the Facebook post were just as amazed as Chmeleck. One fan said, “That’s amazing!! Had no idea such a fish existed!”
Another was obviously stunned by the miraculously beautiful fish that came across his home page, saying, “Never seen one before interesting.”
Another commenter shared an unverified story of having caught a similar fish years ago as a child while out on the water with his father. The commenter wrote, “I think My dad caught one of these when I was a kid that we kept and I was absolutely blown away by the colors inside and out.”
This is the kind of catch that is a dream come true for an angler. All of the amazing fishermen’s tales that your buddy could spout on about for hours in the bar would pale in comparison to this real-world anomaly that was caught and photographed.
Featured image: The Lodge at Otter Cove, Facebook
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