November 5, 2026 — When you think of tropical fish, Massachusetts probably isn’t the first place that comes to mind. But fishermen are finding some unexpected species in New England waters, and warming ocean temperatures may be playing a role.
Max Harvey has spent decades on the water, and he’s noticed some unusual catches.
“There was a cubera snapper caught on Nantucket like last week. And it’s happened before, but it’s very uncommon,” Harvey said.
The cubera snapper is typically associated with warmer waters farther south. But it’s not the only surprising fish to turn up off the Massachusetts coast.
“Four or five years ago there was a rush of king mackerel in Vineyard Sound. And you could go out and actually realistically catch one,” Harvey said.
Warm water species have occasionally made their way into New England waters for decades. Harvey says the Gulf Stream, which carries warm water north along the East Coast, has been getting closer to shore, allowing pockets of warmer water to break off and bring different species into the region.