© Natasha van der KallenThe frostfish that washed up on Rabbit Island, Sunday July 19.
Natasha van der Kallen was enjoying a barbecue with her family on Sunday when her daughter Holly Ward noticed something moving in the shallow water.
"We saw the splashing and Holly screamed out, what is that? So we went to have a look."
When they got closer to the shoreline, van der Kallen said they were surprised to see a long, narrow, silver fish flipping about in the water.
"It was around a metre long with big eyes and big teeth," said van der Kallen.
The fish had a silvery coloured flesh which rubbed off when it was touched, she said.
Curious to know more, the family searched the internet while at the beach and identified it as a frostfish, a creature that usually lives in much deeper water.
© Natasha van der Kallen Ryan Ward with the frost fish that washed up on Rabbit Island, Sunday July 19.
NIWA marine biology technician Alan Hart said the discovery was indeed a frostfish, aptly named as they were sometimes seen washed up on beaches during frosty mornings.
"They are normally found in midwater to moderately deep water and unsuited to shallow waters, stranding may be due to the animal being sick or disorientated," said Hart.
Information from NIWA said the frostfish was widespread in northern and central New Zealand, lived at a depth of 50 to 600 metres and could grow up to 2 metres in length.
It is not the first time the odd fish has washed up on the shores of Rabbit Island.
In 2013, a large frostfish washed up on the coastline and in 1997, Nelson man Gordon Hadfield came across a 1.2 metre frost fish stranded in the outgoing tide while walking along the beach. It was reported that he caught the fish and took it home to eat.
Hart said they were a commercial quota species and on the rare occasion were caught by recreational fishers.
They are quite tasty, he said. "Nice treated as you would a flounder, cooked on the bone."
Source: Nelson Mail
Comment: See also this from 2013: 'Monster' fish washes up on Rabbit Island