In an interesting development, a fish that can induce LSD-like hallucinations when consumed has been found in the waters of the United Kingdom.

The fish in question, the sarpa salpa species belonging to bream, is normally found in the Mediterranean and around South Africa.

Britain’s DailyMail reported that Andy Giles, a fisherman, has said that he caught a sarpa salpa and right away recognized it by its gold stripes. Giles, 38, said he found the fish near Polperro in Cornwall, located at the tip of the south-western peninsula of Great Britain.

“We were trawling for lemon sole and hauled it up at the end of the day. After taking a photograph, I put it in the fish box and brought it back for experts. Perhaps, I should have taken it into town to sell to some clubbers!”

Experts say that, before this, there have only been three recordings of finding sarpa salpa in Britain’s waters and that the fish might have been attracted towards the north by warmer waters.

The fish is usually served in restaurants in the Mediterranean. However, there is but one catch— if the head of sarpa salpa is eaten, hallucinations, caused by the plankton that the fish eats, can last for many days!

It has been reported that, in 2006, two men in southern France – one of them aged 90 – suffered hallucinations and nightmares for days together after eating sarpa salpa.

LSD (d-lysergic acid diethylamide), one of the most potent mood-changing chemicals, was discovered in 1938. It is made out of lysergic acid, which is found in ergot, a fungus that grows on rye and other grains.

So anyone for some sarpa salpa?