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Dock device for mooring gutted very small swimmer (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

anchovy

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'swimmer' is the definition.
(anchovy is a kind of aquatic vertebrate)

I don't understand the remainder of the clue.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for anchovy that I've seen before include "Small fish of herring family, nice on toast" , "Small strongly-flavoured food fish" , "Small, salty-tasting fish" , "Tiny fish, usually canned" , "Small fish used in making sauce, paste etc" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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