Dutch fly-shooter nets huge gilthead seabream in western English Channel: 460 kg in one haul, largest 60 cm and 4 kg
The Dutch fly-shooter SCH 65 "Simplon" has been catching unusually large gilthead seabream frequently while fishing in the western English Channel, with 460 kg taken in a single haul at the end of September; on 2 October another fly-shooter sold 450 kg at the Scheveningen fish auction at EUR 12 to 18 per kilo.
Since entering the fishing grounds in the western English Channel, the Dutch fly-shooter SCH 65 "Simplon" has regularly found unusually large gilthead seabream (goudbrasem), commonly known as "dorade royal", in its nets. According to the Dutch fisheries news outlet Visserijnieuws on 13 October 2026, one haul at the end of September contained 460 kg of this species. Skipper Pieter den Dulk said he had never seen such quantities of gilthead seabream before. The largest individual in that haul measured 60 cm and weighed 4 kg.
The scientific name of gilthead seabream is Sparus auratus, and it belongs to the seabream family (zeebrasems). The black seabream (Spondyliosoma cantharus) of the same family is often mistakenly given the name "zeekarper" (sea carp).
On Friday 2 October, a fly-shooter operated by the company Vrolijk sold 450 kg of gilthead seabream at the Scheveningen fish auction (Scheveningse visafslag), with prices ranging between EUR 12 and 18 per kilo.
In the photo accompanying the report, fish auction staff member Jamie Nutbeij displays a large "dorade royal" measuring 50 cm.