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N°1 | The Gurnard Fish

The Gurnard Fish belongs to the Triglidae family. their sizes vary from 250g to 1 kg. The maximum size recorded is 6 kg. The maximum age that was reached and measured in this fish was 15 years. It is fished in August in April. The gurnard can be identified by the way he moves on the bottom using the first 3 rays of his pectoral fins transformed into locomotor appendages allowing him to "walk" on the seabed. The longest rays of the pectoral fin reach the beginning of the anal fin. This fin, when the individual begins to swim, shows its underside decorated with a bright blue border. It may also have a fairly central black area with blue spots. The bluish coloration of the pectoral fades with age. This fish has two distinct ridges, the first of which is quite short. With a maximum height of 75 cm, but usually not exceeding fifty centimeters, it is the largest representative of the family. Its maximum referenced weight is 6 kg. As with other gurnards, the head is massive and armored. It has a snout extending far forward and ending in a curvature or a slight indentation. The spines on the lids and pre-lids are quite short. The general color varies from grey to reddish to brown with varying degrees of dark spots. Her belly is white. Small scales give it a very smooth looking integument. The lateral line, which is similar in color to that of the body, shows only a slight relief.

Fishing period : from August to April

Minimum size : 200 g

Difficulty :

N°2 | The Whiting fish

The Whiting fish belongs to the Gadidae family. Whiting grows quite quickly and measures about 30cm at the age of two years. At 5 years old, it measures about 50cm for a weight of about 1kg. Its maximum size reaches 70 cm. its lifespan is 22 years. It reproduces from January to April. A female can lay from 200,000 eggs to 1 million eggs. It is fished in winter. Its color is variable and can be yellowish brown, dark blue or green. Its sides are yellow-grey, white and its belly is silvery. A small dark spot is often present at the upper base of the pectoral fins.

Fishing period : winter

Minimum size : 27 cm

Difficulty :

N°3 | The Red Bream

The Red Bream belongs to the Sparidae Family. The Red bream is a fish with a common length of 15 to 30 cm, the maximum known size being 60 cm. This fish can live for about twenty years. It breeds from May to August or March to July. Although it is fished all year round, it is between fall and winter that catches increase. The body is oval in shape, compressed laterally, as in most Sparidae. The head has an almost straight profile, a pointed snout, a fairly small mouth in a low and inclined position. The diameter of the eye is much smaller than the length of the muzzle. The inside of the mouth is greyish or whitish. The 2 jaws have sharp teeth in front (larger outer teeth, with small teeth) and 2 or 3 rows of molar-shaped teeth in the back. Like all Sparidae, it has only one dorsal fin. It begins at the plumbing of the pelvic bones and includes 12 spines and 10 to 11 soft rays. The anal fin has 3 spines and 8 to 9 soft rays, the length of its base is one-third that of the dorsal fin. The pectoral fins are high and very long, reaching almost vertically from the beginning of the anal fin. The caudal fin is forked. The body color is silvery pink with bluish reflections, the back and top of the head being darker. The upper part of the body is dotted with small blue spots. The upper outer edge of the lid is marked with a carmine red. The bases of the pectoral fins have a reddish spot and sometimes a spot is also observed at the base of the last rays of the dorsal fin.

Fishing period : All year

Minimum size : 15 cm

Difficulty :

N°4 | The Turbot Fish

The turbot fish belongs to the Scophthalmidae family. When mature, the average size of the turbot is 30 to 60 cm. In general, males are smaller (35 cm) than females (42 cm). Some individuals can reach a maximum height of 1 m. An adult turbot weighs an average of 6 kg. Exceptionally, some specimens can weigh up to 25 kg. This fish has a long lifespan, the male can live up to 20 years while the female, up to 25 years The breeding period is between February and April. The female can lay up to 3 million eggs. Turbot is caught from January to May. The Turbot is a flatfish, left-handed or senestral, i.e. it rests on its right side (bottom side, blind) and has its left side facing upwards (top side). The origin of the dorsal fin is in front of the eye and its first rays are unbranched. The upper surface is covered with scattered bone tubers (transformed scales). This feature gives it its common name of studded. The eyes are relatively far apart (the distance between them is greater than the diameter of one eye). The lateral line is very curved at the pectoral fin. Like most flatfish, the livery is of variable color, in homochrome with the bottom. It can have many round white to black spots.

Fishing period : January to May

Minimum size : 30 cm

Difficulty :

N°5 | The Mackerel fish

The Mackerel fish belongs to the Scombridae family. The average size of adult mackerel is 30 to 40 cm and its weight ranges from 500 g to exceptionally 1.5 kg. It can live up to 17 years. It reproduces from March to September. The female can lay 450000 eggs. It can be fished all year round. The streamlined body and pointed head of the mackerel, give it an excellent swimming quality (up to 10 km/h). The characteristic feature of mackerel is its blue-green back zebra with more or less oblique and parallel dark lines, while the sides and belly are silvery white. There are 23 to 33 dark chevrons depending on the individual and include the forehead between the two eyes. The fins of mackerel are grey. It has two widely spaced dorsal fins, the first being characterized by 10 to 13 thorny rays. In addition, it also has two pectoral fins (dark based), two ventral, one anal and one caudal. The caudal is preceded by 5 small feathered fins on the dorsal and ventral sides called pinnules. The tail is very indented.

Fishing period : All year

Minimum size : 20 cm

Difficulty :

N°6 | The Common Skate

The Common Skate belongs to the Rajidae family. Its average size is 2.85 m for 110 kg of weight. It has a lifespan of 100 years. It breeds in spring to summer. The female can lay up to 40 eggs. They are considered as threatened species by the IUCN or International Union for Conservation of Nature. The Common Skate has a pointed snout and rhombic shape, with a row of spines along the tail. The upper surface is colored olive-grey to brown with dark or white spot, and the bottom is lighter blue-grey.

Fishing period : Not available

Minimum size : Not available

Difficulty :

N°7 | The Ling fish

The Ling fish belongs to the Lotidae family. It generally measures 1.60 m in adulthood, but can reach a height of 2 meters and weigh up to 45 kg. Its longevity is estimated at 10 years for males and 14 years for females. Breeding takes place from March to July. The female can lay up to 60 million eggs. It can be fished all year round except in winter. The Ling has a cylindrical and very elongated body. The head is flattened with a prominent upper jaw. The fairly long chin barbell is larger than the diameter of the eye. This species has two dorsal fins and one anal fin. The first dorsal fin is shorter and often shows a black spot on the back, the second one runs the rest of the body to the tail. The black caudal fin has a white border on the tip. It is uniformly greenish brown in color, but slightly darker dorsally in adults. The young are often lighter, with its coloring more or less marbled orange.

Fishing period : all year except in winter

Minimum size : no restriction

Difficulty :

N°8 | The European Eel

The European Eel belongs to the Anguillidae family. The european eel can reach a maximum size of 1.50 m and a weight of 3 kg. However, males rarely exceed 45 cm. The current size is more modest and varies between 40 and 60 cm. Its longevity is 12 to 20 years but in captivity it can reach more than 50 years. They can be fished from June to September. The European eel has a snake-like body, with a circular cross-section and very elongated. The body is covered with smooth, viscous skin, rich in thick mucus-secreting cells. The scales are small, oval and deeply embedded in the skin. It has a small round eye and a terminal mouth. The lower jaw is prominent. The color of the eel varies as it grows. In the yellow eel stage, it has a brownish, greenish or yellowish color depending on its habitat (homochrome). The lateral line is not very visible. In the silver eel stage, the back is dark green, the sides have silvery highlights and the belly is pearly white. The lateral line becomes very visible. The body of the European eel does not have pelvic fins. The pectoral fins, the only even fins, are small. On the other hand, odd fins (dorsal, anal, caudal) are very long and fuse at the tail.

Fishing period : June to September

Minimum size : 38 cm

Difficulty :

N°9 | The Monkfish

The Monkfish belongs to the Lophiidae Family. The height, in adults, is between 70 and 200 cm. The weight of large individuals is around 40 kg, with a maximum of 58 kg recorded. The longevity is about twenty years. It breeds in winter. The female can lay millions of eggs at once. It is fished in abundance from December to March. With its enormous head (it constitutes 60% of the animal's weight), its widely split mouth and highly developed pectoral fins, anglerfish cannot be confused with any other fish. The body has a round section at the level of the tail, flattened towards the head. The first three rays of the dorsal fin are placed very far forward; the first, located in front of the eyes, carries a flap of bifid skin that the animal uses as bait. The skin is smooth, flake-free and slightly viscous. A row of branched appendages, more developed around the head, borders the median part of the body. The gill holes in the highest position are protected by two bony caps inserted under the skin. The teeth are strong, pointed and curved backwards. The general color is a light brown marbled with darker areas, which may vary according to the environment. Despite their large size, anglerfish are quite good at camouflage.

Fishing period : in winter

Minimum size : 50 cm

Difficulty :

N°10 | The Flounder Fish

The Flounder Fish belongs to the Pleuronectidae family. It usually reaches a size of 50 cm; the maximum observed size is 60 cm for a weight of 1.5 kg. The maximum lifespan is estimated at 15 years. It reproduces in early spring. The female can lay up to 2 million eggs. The best time to fish it is in spring and autumn. The Flounder fish is a flatfish of general losanitary appearance, taking into account the triangular shape of the head and dorsal and anal fins. Both eyes are on the same side of the head, on the right side, for about 2/3 of the individuals. The mouth is small and terminal, with a slightly tapered snout. The oral commissure is located on the same line as the center of the eye. The lateral line barely curves towards the dorsal edge at the pectoral fins. It has a row of tubers in its front part. Similarly, the base of the dorsal and anal fins is highlighted by a line of tubers, which are clearly palpable. The anal fin has 35 to 46 soft rays. The oculate side has a variable coloring, from olive green to reddish brown, or grey, enhanced by dark green mottling, with small, dull and few orange spots. This helps to give it a "dirty" appearance. The blind side is white.

Fishing period : Spring and Autumn

Minimum size : 25 cm

Difficulty :

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How it works

This is a score of 1 to 10 calculated city by city according to some forty criteria affecting fishing: moon, weather conditions, atmospheric pressure, sunrise / sunset. sun, tides, swell etc .