The sarpa salpa series of bream, more commonly known as Salema porgy, has been found off the coast of Cornwall in the UK. The fish is normally only found in the Mediterranean and around South Africa and is easily recognisable thanks to it’s gold striping. It is fairly common to see them around Tenerife, Malta and Cyprus.

Salema porgy is well-known for causing hallucinations in those who eat the heads of the fish The hallucinations are often auditory as well as visual and can last for up to days. There is no antidote. It is reported that the Romans often consumed the fish as a recreational drug. It is also a popular dish in many Mediterranean restaurants.

There have only been three previous recorded incidents of sarpa salpa being seen in British waters as it is rare to see the fish this far north.

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