A SEA zoo is casting a wide net across Anglesey shores and beyond, hoping to haul in families with fishy names.

The Anglesey Sea Zoo, at Brynsiencyn, looks set to trawl phone directories and the internet to bring together people with names associated with the sea.

The move comes after a film by Charlie Lyne, “Fish Story,” sparked a debate on the BBC’s Jeremy Vine radio show and social media.

Fish Story is this year’s winner of the audience award for best short at AFI Docs Film Festival.

In the film, director Lyne attempts to get to the bones of a 30-year-old mystery in which a young man called Caspar Salmon attempts to reel in the truth from a fishy tale told to him by his grandmother.

She had told him that she was was invited to a gathering on Anglesey, attended exclusively by people with fish surnames, way back in the 1980s.

The film tracks down the event organisers, David and Alison Lea Wilson, of the  Halen Môn Anglesey Sea Salt Company, who previously owned the zoo. It also features the sea zoo’s current director/owner Frankie Hobro, who was also interviewed on the Jeremy Vine show.

Frankie said: “Charlie Lyne did a really great job with Fish Story. It is fantastic. The event in the 1980s definitely happened!

"It was hilarious. Families who came by had names like the Salmons, the Herrings, the Plaice, the Trouts and there was even a family called the Jellies from Mold!”

Michael Fish, a BBC weatherman at the time, also made an appearance, although in the film he claims he can’t remember being there.

North Wales Chronicle photographer Kerry Roberts was there and said: “I remember taking a picture of Michael Fish – he was definitely there – even though he can’t remember! Everyone had a whale of a time!

"Fish Story is brilliant. In it, they talk about a Mr Winkle who is gutted when he is presented with only a winkle on a plate – all the other families, like the Salmons got a salmon and so on!”

Frankie added: “It would be lovely to do a re-enactment. It would be great to get hold of any of the original fish folk who attended. We’d love them to get in touch!”

“We are going to trawl the area, cast a wider net to include anyone with names associated with the sea. Who knows, we may even find a Billy Ocean!

Please contact: marketing@angleseyseazoo.co.uk  01248 431910.