Small Eyed Ray fishing in the Bristol Channel (RAJA MICROCELLATA)

As the name suggests it has conspicuously small eyes, it has a short snout and the spines on the middle line of the back and tail have narrow points bent at right angles, thus lying almost flat along the body. The spines are closely packed and small, as are the single series each side of the tail. Colour is light brown with large light blotches and lines which run almost parallel to the margins of the disc, underside is white with dorsal fins close-set.

Found mainly on sandy bottoms, from inshore waters to about 100 m in tidal areas.

The small eyed ray mainly feeds on small fish.

The usual size of a Small Eyed Ray is between 5 to 10lb.

The Welsh record is 15lb 2oz caught off Nash Sands by K Bowring in 1984, with another 15lb caught at Nash by N J Wood in 1991
The UK record is 17.7lb caught off Watchet by S Storey in 1991
March to August