Saithe
📖 Overview
An active, gregarious fish occurring inshore and offshore waters. Usually enters coastal waters in spring and returns to deeper waters in winter . Smaller fish in inshore waters feed on small crustaceans (copepods, amphipods, euphausiids) and small fish, while larger fish prey predominantly upon fishes. Spawn in batches . Utilized fresh, dried or salted, smoked, canned and frozen; eaten steamed, fried, broiled, boiled, microwaved and baked .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. Chin barbel small. Lateral line smooth along its entire length. Body color is brownish-green dorsally, becoming only slightly paler ventrally. The lateral line pale.: fusiform / normal; Cross section: circular.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Saithe is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
Oviparous, sexes are separate .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; demersal; oceanodromous ; depth range 37 - 364 m . Temperate; 81°N - 35°N, 76°W - 35°E North Atlantic: southwest Greenland, Hudson Strait to North Carolina, east to Bay of Biscay, Barents Sea and Spitsbergen.
🌿 Ecology
small crustaceans (copepods, amphipods, euphausiids) and small fish, while larger fish prey predomin
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🎣 Angling Guide
- medium-heavy 7ft spinning rod
- 30-50 lb braid
- fluorocarbon leader
- grass flats
- oyster bars
- marsh drains
- deeper channel edges
Use barbless hooks, minimise air exposure, and revive fish head-first in current before release.
⚠️ Slot limits protect breeding-size fish. Verify daily bag limits.
🏆 World Records
| Record Type | Value | Angler | Location | Date | Line Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 22.7 kg | Thor-Magnus Lekang | Salstraumen, Norway | 30 Nov 1995 | ALL |
Source: IGFA All-Tackle World Records database
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | American Pollack · Billet · Coal-fish · Coalfish · Coley · Glassan · Gloshan · Green Cod · Kench Cure · Pollock · Poodler · Saithe · Saithe(=pollock) · Saithe, Pollock · Sillock · coal fish |
| 🌍BRE | Levneg du · gwelenek · levneg |
| 🌍CES | treska tmavá |
| 🌍CYM | Chwitlyniaid Glas · chwitlyn glas |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Gråsej · Mørksej · Sej |
| 🇩🇪German | Blaufisch · Köhler · Seelachs |
| 🌍EST | Põhjaatlandi süsikas |
| 🌍FAO | seiður |
| 🇫🇮Finnish | Seiti |
| 🇫🇷French | Colin · Goberge · Greslin · Lieu noir · Merlan noir · Merlan vert · Merluche · Salage à sec · colin (lieu) · lieu noir, merlan noir |
| 🌍GLA | Cudaig · saoidhean · saoidheanan |
| 🌍GLV | Bloghan |
| 🇭🇷Croatian | Crni bakalar |
| 🌍ISL | Ufsi |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Merluzzo nero |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | シロイトダラ |
| 🇰🇷Korean | 북대서양대구 |
| 🌍LAV | Saida |
| 🌍LIT | Ledjūrio menkė |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | Koolvis · zwarte koolvis |
| 🌍NNO | grønspor · høling · kod · sei · seikod · klakkesei · mort · pale · snadd |
| 🌍NOB | grønnspor · klakkesei · mort · pale · sei · snadd · høling · kod · seikod |
| 🇳🇴Norwegian | Sei · pale (kleine) |
| 🇵🇱Polish | Czarniak |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Badejo · Escamudo |
| 🌍RON | Cod negru |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Сайда |
| 🌍SME | sáidi |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Bacalao · Carbonero · Faneca plataeada carbonero · Fogonero · Palero · colin |
| 🇸🇪Swedish | Gråsej · Sej |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 綠青鱈 |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gadus carbonarius | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Gadus colinus | Lacepède | 1800 | Synonym |
| Gadus purpureus | Mitchill | 1814 | Synonym |
| Gadus sey | Lacepède | 1800 | Synonym |
| Gadus virens | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Merlangus carbonarius | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Merlangus purpureus | Mitchill | 1814 | Synonym |
| Merlangus virens | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Polachius virens | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Pollachius carbonarius | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
📚 Scientific References
13 publications cited
- Froese, R. and Pauly, D. (Editors) (2024). FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. FishBase Consortium. Link ↗
- IUCN (2024). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2024-1. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Link ↗
- GBIF Secretariat (2024). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset. Global Biodiversity Information Facility. DOI ↗
- USDA Agricultural Research Service (2024). FoodData Central. USDA National Nutrient Database. United States Department of Agriculture. Link ↗
- FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department (2024). The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Link ↗
- Kaschner, K., Kesner-Reyes, K., Garilao, C., Segschneider, J., Rius-Barile, J., Rees, T., Froese, R. (2024). AquaMaps: Predicted range maps for aquatic species. AquaMaps. Link ↗
- Nelson, J.S., Grande, T.C., Wilson, M.V.H. (2016). Fishes of the World. 5th edition. John Wiley & Sons.
- Helfman, G.S., Collette, B.B., Facey, D.E., Bowen, B.W. (2009). The Diversity of Fishes: Biology, Evolution, and Ecology. 2nd edition. Wiley-Blackwell.
- Froese, R. (2006). Cube law, condition factor and weight-length relationships: history, meta-analysis and recommendations. Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 22(4), 241-253. DOI ↗
- Halstead, B.W., Auerbach, P.S., Campbell, D. (1988). A Colour Atlas of Dangerous Marine Animals. Wolfe Medical Publications. Wolfe Medical.
- Balon, E.K. (1975). Reproductive Guilds of Fishes: A Proposal and Definition. Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, 32(6), 821-864.
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 4,090 records indexed .
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