The Grey Trigger
The Grey Trigger
This past weekend I joined the dive team of Scuba World Arnhem for a trip to Zeeland. It turned into a weekend full of energy: great people, inspiring conversations, and a series of dives that offered both beauty and surprise.
The absolute highlight was a truly rare encounter: The Grey Triggerfish (Balistes capriscus) in the Grevelingen. This species is considered highly unique in the Netherlands because it is a warm-water fish that normally does not occur in the North Sea or the Zeeland estuaries. In fact, sightings here are so exceptional that the diving community was buzzing with excitement when recent reports confirmed its presence. After earlier records between 2004 and 2007, and a single sighting in 2012, there had been no observations until the summer of 2025, when several new discoveries, including in the Oosterschelde and the Grevelingenmeer, were finally made.
The Grey Triggerfish is remarkable for several reasons. It is a warm-water visitor that usually inhabits more temperate seas and only occasionally drifts as far north as the Dutch coast. That makes every sighting here a true rarity, marking the species as a vagrant in our waters. It also has a distinctive appearance, named after its special dorsal fin, whose first spine can be raised and locked like a “trigger,” allowing the fish to wedge itself securely into crevices among rocks. Its way of moving is equally striking, as it propels itself with a graceful undulating motion of the dorsal and anal fins. On top of that, it is capable of producing sounds, which makes its behaviour even more unusual. Scientists suggest that climate change and the warming of our seas may increase the likelihood of such southern species appearing more often in northern waters in the future, making these recent sightings both fascinating and significant.
Together with Bas, I set out to see this remarkable visitor with my own eyes. After only a short search we found him, calmly moving about his chosen spot. He was almost tame, displaying his subtle grey body with striking blue highlights on his fins. Observing him up close felt like a privilege and probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience in Dutch waters. The encounter was even more unusual because the Grey Triggerfish is often regarded as bold and territorial, with reports of individuals confronting or even attacking divers when guarding their nests. Encountering such a calm and approachable individual in our waters was therefore truly remarkable.
After an amazing weekend, I felt grateful, not only for the dives themselves, but for the people who made it so memorable. Beyond the encounter with the Grey Triggerfish, we enjoyed several other wonderful dives that revealed fascinating marine life and unforgettable experiences beneath and above the surface. Each site offered its own surprises and added to the sense of wonder that makes diving in Zeeland so special.
To the whole Scuba World Arnhem team: thank you for the laughs, the support, and the sense of adventure we shared. I’m already looking forward to our next dives together.
Never stop exploring the depths!
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