UNDER THE SEA

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 Hello ladies and gents this is the Viking telling you that today we are talking about

Monkfish

Species Spotlight: Monkfish – Buying Seafood

  • Scientific name: Lophius piscatorius
  • Also know as: Anglerfish, Headfish, Goosefish, Frog-fish, Sea-devil
  • Size: Up to 6ft long and 150 – 250lbs, but typically less than half this size.
  • UK minimum size: N/a
  • UK shore caught record: 68lb 2oz
  • IUCN Status: LC (Least Concern)
  • Distribution: A deep-water fish which stays at depths of around fifty metres, and usually substantially deeper than this. Monkfish are found in the north east Atlantic and parts of the Irish Sea, the English Channel and the North Sea.
  • Feeds on: Ambush hunter which feeds primarily on other fish, but will also prey on squid, cuttlefish, octopus and even crustaceans.
  • Description: Large, broad head with a massive mouth full of very sharp teeth which point inwards. The flat body is mottled dark brown to black in colour. Blunt spines are present under the loose skin. The first dorsal fin is short and spiny with powerful pectoral fins. The underside is pale and there is a flexible protuberance from the head which is used to attract fish.

The monkfish is a strange and somewhat terrifying-looking fish, but it is relatively common in deeper waters surrounding the British Isles. Monkfish are ambush predators. They lie camouflaged on the seabed and use the protuberance on their head (which is known as the esca) – to attract small fish which think it is a source of food.

 Once they are in range the monkfish snaps forward with incredible speed to devour the fish in its huge mouth. The teeth of the monkfish are hinged which allows the prey fish to be held securely in the monkfish’s jaws. The monkfish also has an expandable stomach which means they can eat fish which are almost as large as itself. 

Monkfish will take pouting, sandeels, cod, pollock, coalfish, dogfish, all kinds of flatfish and even small rays. They have also been caught with lobsters and crabs in their stomach, suggesting that monkfish are opportunistic predators that will eat pretty much anything that crosses their path.

and as always have a chilled day from the Viking

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