UK sea fish

Name the fish

• Bass

• Cod

• Trout

• Haddock

Answer explanation

The bass is a commonly caught fish in British waters; it has silvery sides, a blue-grey back and a cream/white belly. It has two distinct fins, the first with 9 spines and the second with 13 spines. It also has a large mouth armed with sharp teeth.

Name the fish

• Salmon
• Red Bream

• Tuna
• Trout

Answer explanation

The red bream is identifiable by its thin, oval-shaped body and a high lateral line; it has a crimson back, orange/gold sides and a silvery-orange underbelly and also particularly large eyes. It has a single, long dorsal fin with twelve sharp, short spines and also a small anal fin and forked tail. Like the black bream, the red bream’s jaws are equipped with 4-6 rows of thin teeth which are larger at the front. Mature red bream have a distinctive black patch at the beginning of the lateral line which varies in size.

Name the fish

• Cod
• Haddock

• Trout
• Salmon

Answer explanation

The cod has a large head with a bulky, brown-green or olive-green body which can be flecked across the sides and back, the area that the cod has lived in affects its colour, with weedy areas giving a brownish colour. The upper jaw overhangs and there is a projecting barbule on its chin. It has a sizeable mouth with small sharp teeth.

Name the fish

• Brill

• European Eel

• Garfish

• Coalfish

Answer explanation

The garfish looks like a cross between an eel and a long-beaked bird; it has a long, slender body which is laterally compressed and blue-green in colour ontop with silver sides and belly. It has a distinct sword-like beak which is equipped with rows of small, sharp teeth.

The pectoral, dorsal and anal fins are all found towards the tail end of its body and its lateral line is particularly low on the flanks. The garfish is closely related to the flying fish and so occupies the area close to the surface and can often be seen leaping from the sea.

Name the fish

• European Eel

• Salmon
• Garfish

• Conger Eel

Answer explanation

Big rod-caught conger eels can weigh 27.20 Kg (60 lbs) or more, making them the largest eel species in the world by weight. Conger eels caught by commercial fishermen has been reported to be around 100kg (220 lbs). These monsters have also been spotted by deep-sea divers. The average rod-caught conger eel weighs around 9.10 Kg (20 lbs).

Name the fish

• Salmon
• Cod
• Coalfish

• Haddock

Answer explanation

The coalfish is closely related to cod and young coalfish are referred to as “billet”. The coalfish has a streamlined body paired with three dorsal fins. It has a black/dark green back, blue-green sides, a silver-grey belly and an almost straight white-dashed lateral line. The lower jaw protrudes slightly more than the upper jaw. In some coalfish, a small barbule (feeler) is present on the chin, although this not present on all coalfish.

There can be some confusion between coalfish and pollack, however the lateral line allows for differentiation between the two species – coalfish has a straight, white lateral line, whilst pollack has a curved, white lateral line.

Name the fish

• Dab

• Plaice

• Sole

• Brill

Answer explanation

The dab is a right eyed flat fish, meaning that both its eyes are on the right-hand side of its body when viewed from straight on. The plaice and flounder are two other species of flat fish which are also right eyed and have similar appearances.

The dab has a rounded, thin body which is somewhat translucent, its back is sandy-brown in colour and scattered with dark spots, the dorsal and anal fins form a curve around its outline. The underneath is white and its pectoral fins can be orange. Unlike the plaice the dab has no orange flecks on its back, and unlike the flounder it is somewhat translucent.

Name the fish

• Sole

• Plaice

• Brill

• Dab

Answer explanation

The brill is a left eyed flatfish, meaning that when viewed from straight on both its eyes are on the left hand side. It bears a close resemblance to the turbot, another flat fish, and is therefore often mistaken for turbot. It has a slender body, typical of flatfish, which is speckled brown on top and a pinkish-white underside. It also has a long dorsal fin, a small anal fin and a lateral line which curves across the gills.

Compared to turbot, brill is less broad-bodied, possessing more of an oval outline than the turbot. In addition, brill has small scales across its body, unlike turbot which has tubercles instead.

Name the fish

• Bream

• Brill

• Sole

• Halibut

Answer explanation

The halibut is a right eyed flatfish, meaning that when viewed from straight on, its eyes are on the right hand side of its body, it is also the largest species of flatfish in British waters. The halibut has a diamond shaped body which is dark olive-brown in colour on top with a white underside. It has a noticeable curve in the lateral line over the pectoral fins, its dorsal and anal fins span the entire length of its body and it has sharp teeth and a large mouth.

Name the fish

• Sole

• Plaice

• Haddock

• Flounder

Answer explanation

The plaice is a right eyed flatfish, meaning that when viewed from straight on, its eyes are both located on the right hand side of its body. It has a diamond shaped body which is brown on the back, dotted with bright orange spots and a white underbelly. It has small scales which produce a very smooth texture.

The plaice closely resembles the flounder and so is often incorrectly identified as such, however there are differences; compared to the flounder the plaice has a smaller head and tail and a slimmer body. In addition the plaice also has a characteristic ridge comprised of bony bumps which runs along the back of its head.