Angler’s catch was red and bright blue — and looks almost radioactive. See the photos
A lucky angler reeled in a unique catch in Alaska — a red spotted fish with glacier blue flesh that looks almost radioactive.
And while it looks like it would be toxic, it’s actually safe to eat. Joe Chmeleck, owner of The Lodge at Otter Cove who caught the rock greenling fish in Homer, Alaska, posted photos of the fileted fish to Facebook on Aug. 30.
“Went out fishing today and caught a rock greenling,” he said in the post. “The flesh is blue. It turns white when you cook it. Mother nature is incredible.”
The photos went viral. Hundreds of people commented in awe of the photos, and thousands shared the post.
“We’ve never heard of such a thing!” someone said.
And of course Dr. Seuss comments rolled in.
“Probably where one fish, two fish, (red) fish, blue fish came from,” someone said.
The fisherman told KTUU he learned they’re safe to eat after he caught a similar one about a year ago.
“We were sort of a little bit afraid of it,” he told the news station. “We didn’t know if it was poisonous or what it was. Typically when it is super colorful like that I’ve been told, the more colorful, the more dangerous it is.”
The vibrant hue is caused by green bile in the fish’s gut, called Biliverdin, the station reported.
Chmeleck fried up the filets and posted a video of the electric blue flesh turning white — like a filet of cod or tilapia — in the comments. It tastes like trout to him, he said.
Homer is on Kachemak Bay, about 220 miles southwest of Anchorage.
