Fish Ratings – London – October 19: Fish Ratings has initiated a review of the Loch Ness Monster, a fabled Scottish creature that has often been discussed but whose existence has never been proven, following a recent sighting by trawler skipper Humza Yousaf. A full rating report may follow if the mythical creature turns out to exist and if it is in fact a fish.
For reasons that it would take too long to go into, the Loch Ness Monster (“Nessie”) is expected, if it does indeed exist, to have a strong link to Gilt-head Bream (‘AA-’, Negative Outlook), for ratings purposes. Fish Ratings’ review will focus on this relationship and the risk of the link being broken as well as the underlying nature of Nessie, including whether it is both real and a fish.
Fish Ratings produced research in 2016 showing that a fully independent Nessie would have a negative impact on Gilt-head Bream and could result in a rating downgrade. Fish Ratings has not completed a full analysis of an independent Nessie but it is highly likely that it would initially have a lower rating than Gilt-head Bream.
Widespread speculation about Nessie surged in the 1930s following a series of high-profile sightings. Scientific investigations have taken place as recently as 2018. The creature has variously been described as a type of Salamander (Unrated), Newt (Unrated), Whale (Unrated), Plesiosaur (Unrated), or Worm (Unrated) or explained as a misidentification of an Elephant (Unrated), Otter (Unrated), Swan (Unrated), Seal (Unrated), Toy Submarine (Unrated), Eel (‘BBB-’, Stable Outlook) or Greenland Shark (‘A’, Stable Outlook). Fish Ratings cannot rule out the possibility that Nessie is green.
Image: Anonymous sketch of the Arthur Grant Loch Ness Monster sighting in January 1934.
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