IN FOCUS | Stick together

Bait balls, those tightly formed swirling masses of fish that twist and turn in unison, are a mesmerising natural spectacle. But, for the fish – in this case Atlantic horse mackerel – they are a last-ditch attempt to avoid being eaten by predators. While those at the centre of the ball are offered some protection from hungry jaws, the sheer number and proximity of these horse mackerel simultaneously create an all-you-can-eat buffet for the European barracudas and bluefish eagerly circling them.