News

Portuguese Blenny snapped in Welsh waters

Published

9 years ago

September 2, 2016

Portuguese Blenny: Similar to its cousin, the Tompot Blenny

THE MARINE Conservation Society (MCS) says a Portuguese Blenny (Parablennius ruber) has been photographed in Welsh waters for the first time.

It was spotted in The Smalls, a popular diving area 18 miles off the Pembrokeshire coast, west of St Brides Bay, by Seasearch diver Kerry Lewis, from Aberystwyth, in late July.

Seasearch is the MCS volunteer dive programme, where divers survey underwater areas around the UK.

MCS Wales Conservation Engagement Officer, Paul Kay, said he was able to identify the photograph taken by Kerry, because he had snapped a Portuguese Blenny off the Aran Island in Galway Bay many years ago and had to have the fish’s identity confirmed by an expert from Madeira.

The Portuguese Blenny is quite small, only growing up to about 14cm long. It has two quite characteristic head appendages, so it’s similar to its cousin, the Tompot Blenny.

However, it differs in colouration as it is mottled with red rather than brown stripes, and sometimes can be almost entirely bright red. Males have a blue spot on the front of their dorsal fin when ready to breed.

“This Portuguese Blenny was well known from far further south. But since my first sighting in some years ago, they’ve been found along the west coasts of both Ireland and Scotland and I’ve even photographed one as far north as St Kilda.

“It’s also been recorded in the Scillies and the south coast too, but never in Wales. I think this is partly because this little fish actually appears to like very rough, exposed spots and seems to thrive most in what we might think of as areas very difficult to survive in – which of course aren’t easy to dive in either,” says Paul.

Kerry Lewis says the sea conditions when she spotted the little Blenny were unusually calm, which is why the South and West Wales Seasearch team, organised by local co-ordinator Kate Lock, were able to get out to The Smalls, an area Kerry says she had wanted to dive in for over a decade.

“I was thrilled to have taken the first photo of this fish in Wales. When I saw it hopping about amongst the rocks, I assumed it was a juvenile Tompot Blenny, one of the best known fishes from around the UK.

“They share a striking resemblance, but its coloration and marginal differences in shape differentiate it. Fortunately, it stayed still long enough for me to get the picture and when I posted it in the online Seasearch forum, it all got quite exciting.”

Confirmation was also obtained from Dr Lin Baldock, Dorset Seasearch Co-ordinator and a small fish expert.

Paul Kay says that despite its name, it’s thought that the Portuguese Blenny is actually a resident of British and Irish waters: “It’s not a recent immigrant from further south, so its presence doesn’t suggest global warming, but actually illustrates just how biodiverse our own seas are and how we are still able to discover new things about them all the time, and why they need protecting and looking after.”

Charity

Tenby golf captain raises more than £8,000 for hospice charity

Published

1 hour ago

February 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Fundraising year inspired by personal experience of end-of-life care

TENBY GOLF CLUB has announced that £8,360.68 has been raised for the Paul Sartori Foundation after a year of fundraising led by club captain Heather Morgan.

Heather’s captaincy was particularly notable as she is only the second female captain in the club’s history since it was founded in 1888. Her choice of charity was inspired by personal experience, following the care and support provided to her mother by the hospice-at-home charity.

Her mother, who lived to the age of 97, was able to remain at home during her final days thanks to the support of Paul Sartori’s clinical team.

Heather said she could not have managed without the compassion and professionalism of the staff, who supported both her mother and the wider family during a difficult time. She therefore chose the charity not only to raise funds, but also to increase awareness of the services available to families across Pembrokeshire.

The fundraising year included a packed programme of well-supported events, including a charity golf day, Captain’s Day, and a popular night golf competition. Members and guests also supported quiz nights with themed food, a special performance by Tenby Male Voice Choir, as well as Easter and Christmas raffles.

Joanne Lutwyche, Events and Fundraising Officer for the Paul Sartori Foundation, said: “Becoming a charity of the year is a great privilege for us, and we always aim to support our community fundraisers as much as possible during the time we are chosen.

“Our fundraising and events team have been astonished by the generosity of the golfers throughout the year. We have been invited to support events at Tenby Golf Club, and they have been great fun to be part of.”

The charity has thanked Heather Morgan, Tenby Golf Club, and everyone who contributed to the fundraising efforts, saying the money will help provide hospice-at-home care for people living with life-limiting illness across Pembrokeshire.

The funds raised will enable more families to receive care and comfort in their own homes at the most difficult times.

Photo caption: Heather Morgan with Brendan Monnelly, General Manager at Tenby Golf Club (Pic supplied).

News

New project launched to preserve Pembrokeshire’s hidden place names

Published

1 hour ago

February 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Communities invited to share historic names of fields, lanes and landmarks

A NEW project has been launched to uncover and protect historic place names across the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park — from forgotten fields to little-known lanes — before they disappear from living memory.

The initiative, led by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority in partnership with the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW), will gather local knowledge from communities throughout the Park and record it in the national List of Historic Place Names for Wales.

A series of community workshops will take place during 2026, giving residents the opportunity to share names passed down through generations, including those linked to fields, footpaths, buildings and local landmarks.

All information collected will be compiled by Dr James January-McCann, Place Names Officer at the RCAHMW, and formally recorded to help safeguard this cultural heritage for future generations.

Pembrokeshire’s landscape reflects a rich linguistic history shaped by Welsh, English, Nordic and Flemish influences. Organisers say capturing this knowledge now is vital, not only to preserve local identity but also to support landowners, communities and the National Park Authority in future land management and heritage projects.

Tomos Jones, Community Archaeologist at the Park Authority, said: “This is a fantastic project that empowers local communities to come forward with their place names knowledge. The information can then better inform our understanding of the National Park area and help us develop relevant projects.”

Dr James January-McCann added: “Given Pembrokeshire’s rich linguistic history, this is a brilliant opportunity to discover how strong those influences remain today, and to deepen people’s knowledge of their heritage.”

With the National Eisteddfod taking place in Pembrokeshire this year, the project will also use the festival as a platform to reach a wider audience, including a dedicated talk supported by the Eisteddfod team.

Six community workshops are currently scheduled for 2026, with the ambition to expand the programme in future years.

The first workshop will take place at St Davids City Hall on Wednesday (Feb 18), with members of the public invited to drop in at any time between 10:00am and 4:00pm to share information or speak with the project team. Further sessions will be promoted locally and through social media.

Caption: A series of place name workshops will be held to capture the rich linguistic heritage of the local area.

Crime

Pembroke Dock raids: One man in court today as three released on bail

Published

1 hour ago

February 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Update follows major Gordon Street operation reported on Friday

ONE man is due to appear in court today (Monday, Feb 16) following last week’s armed police operation in Pembroke Dock, as officers confirmed that three other suspects have been released on bail.

The Herald reported on Friday (Feb 13) that firearms officers, dog units and multiple police vehicles were deployed to Gordon Street during a pre-planned operation involving several specialist departments.

Dyfed-Powys Police has now provided an update on the outcome of the raids.

Two men, aged 37 and 35, and a woman aged 32 — all arrested during Friday’s operation — have been released on bail pending further enquiries.

A fourth suspect, a 28-year-old man arrested for failing to appear in court, has been recalled to prison.

Officers also confirmed that a fifth person was arrested the following day, Saturday (Feb 14).

Zack High, aged 26, has since been charged with grievous bodily harm and is due to appear at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court today.

During the initial operation, police said arrests were made for a range of suspected offences including grievous bodily harm, firearms possession, drugs supply, fraud, and possession of a bladed article.

Detective Sergeant Jamie Hughes, of Pembrokeshire CID, previously thanked the community for its patience during the large police deployment and said the action demonstrated that officers would “deal with offenders robustly and efficiently”.