Whiting
Merlangius merlangus
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A slimmer cod relative with no chin barbel and a black smudge at the base of the pectoral fin.
A slender member of the cod family with three dorsal and two anal fins, a pointed snout with a projecting upper jaw, and effectively no chin barbel in adults. The reliable mark is a distinct dark spot at the base of each pectoral fin. Whiting are abundant in the Solway and inshore Irish Sea, and come closest to shore in the colder months.
Behaviour
Whiting hunt in loose shoals over sand and mud, taking sandeels, small fish, shrimps and crabs, and are themselves a staple prey for cod, bass and seals. Young whiting shelter in very shallow water and are sometimes seen among the fronds of jellyfish. They move inshore in autumn and winter and are the fish most often caught from Solway shores after dark in those months.
When to see it
Quick facts
- Family
- Cods (Gadidae)
- Size
- Commonly 25–40 cm
Photo by Georges Jansoone (JoJan), CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons