restocking project at the Aquarium -- into a meal.

Only the carcass of the "irreplaceable'' fish was found, floating in the water off Flatts Village on Sunday.

And traumatised by the loss, the grouper's female partner was also found dead hours later in the display tank they had shared for more than seven years.

Aquarium curator Mr. Jack Ward yesterday said the rare male grouper had been stolen from one of the tanks last Saturday night.

Both fish were part of a project funded by Government, Britain's Overseas Development Agency and the Bermuda Zoological Society.

The spawn of the mature mating pair, who have spawned previously, was to be used this year in a mariculture project aimed at restocking the species in local waters.

"Both fish were in breeding condition and were expected to spawn over the next few days,'' Mr. Ward said. "There is no alternate brood stock to turn to. These fish were virtually irreplaceable.

"Moreover, these spectacular fish, generally considered the most dramatic and beautiful in the Aquarium, were an extremely valuable exhibit and educational resource.'' In addition to being a loss to the Aquarium's displays, the fish, he said, represented thousands of dollars' worth of investment in research, care and maintenance.

Mariculture supervisor Dr. John Tucker, who was the first person to successfully breed and rear Caribbean grouper species, logged more than 160 hours observing the pair and videotaping their mating behaviour.

"He planned to collect the spawn from these fish and rear them until they were large enough to survive in the wild,'' Mr. Ward said. "No work has previously been done on the mariculture of this species.'' While restocking of the species will have to be abandoned, the project will go on, he added.

The Aquarium still has four Nassau groupers. Two of them are captive-reared groupers that are a result of Dr. Tucker's earlier work.

These fish, which are healthy and on exhibit, are the oldest captive-bred Caribbean groupers in the world.

Police spokesman Sgt. John Dale said yesterday that Det. Sgt. Stuart Crockwell of the Eastern CID and Det. Con. Craig Morfitt, a keen aquarist, are anxious to speak to anyone who can assist with the investigation into this "abominable act''.

It is quite possible someone could have seen this fish filleted or could have even bought some from Flatts Village on Sunday, Sgt. Dale said, adding that the fish "were certainly more valuable than the price anyone would have got for their meat''.

The fish, which are occasionally treated for infections, could be carrying residue from the treatment and, if tested, would probably be deemed inedible, Mr. Ward added.

Anyone with information is asked to call 295-0011. PHOTO TRAGIC END -- Aquarium staff examine the remains of two rare yellowfin groupers killed after thieves broke into the Flatts facility over the weekend.