Coalfish / Saithe

(Pollachius virens)

Size: Reaching sizes up to 120 cm .

Biology:

The coalfish has a powerful body and it is an excellent swimmer. It is found on all depths (down to 300 meters), both pelagic and on the bottom. The coalfish is most common in shoals chasing fry, herring and crustaceous animal. It has a white line running from its neck along each side of the fish. The back is dark (almost black).

The coalfish spawns in February - April. The spawning grounds are found outside the Norwegian coast and in The North Sea (see red color on the map to the right on this page). Small coalfish (less than one year old) are found in large numbers along the Norwegian coast during the autumn. To determine the coalfishes` age, the scientists "read" the coalfishes` ear stones (otolitts). This method has revealed that the coalfish can be more than 20 years old.

Fishery:

The coalfish is an important fish, not only for Norwegian fishermen. Most of the coalfish are caught with trawl and seine. If you use a fishing rod, remember that the coalfish likes red colored bait. This fish is found along the Norwegian coast in every season of the year.

Fishing in Norway

Coalfish caught with seine outside Karmøy (north of Stavanger).

26 Coalfish and cod (all over 10 kg) from Røst (Lofoten). The lucky fishermen are Mauno and Jouko (RP-team) from Finland:: Photo: Jouko Alanko

Red indicates spawning areas.

fishing in Norway tackle angler sea fishing