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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 Cod fish

The Cod fish belongs to the Gadidae family. The Cod fish measure between 50 and 90 cm on average but can reach 1.80 metres for 40 kg and a maximum weight of 95.5 kg in some specimens. It can live up to 25 years. It reproduces from February to April. The female can lay 500,000 eggs. It can be fished all year round but productivity is better in March, April and October, November. Its elongated body is covered with small scales. The muzzle is relatively elongated, slightly prominent, conical and obtuse. A large mouth with the posterior edge reaching one third of the eye. There are many small teeth in each jaw. Presence of a barbel under the jaw. It has three dorsal fins and two anal fins. The pale lateral line is curved in the first 2/5 of the body. The body cavity is lined with a grey or silvery membrane and has small black, brown or red spots on the sides and back. The color varies according to the habitat and diet.

Fishing period : March, April, October and November

Minimum size : 35 cm

Difficulty :

N°3 | 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 :

N°4 | The Bull Huss

The Bull Huss belongs to the Scyliorhinidae family. Small in size, they usually measure 60 to 80 cm, although there are larger ones, since they can reach 1.5 m in the Mediterranean and 2 m in the Atlantic. This fish can live for 75 years. It spawns a hundred eggs all year round, especially in the late winter and in July. It is abundant every day of the year. This fish is not really active but still is hard to catch. The upper part of the Bull Huss is light brown in color, covered with small dark brown spots. Because of this pattern of spots, it is also called spotted cat shark. The part of the flank is white and grey. The mouth and nose holes are below his obtuse head. The particularity of the Bull Huss is that its nostrils are linked to the mouth by a curved line.

Fishing period : All year

Minimum size : 58 cm

Difficulty :

N°5 | The Haddock fish

The Haddock fish belongs to the Gadidae family. The average size of haddock is 30 to 50 cm. It can measure up to 1.20 m and weigh up to 14 Kg and can live until the age of 20 years. It reproduces in spring. The female can respond to up to 3,000,000 eggs. This fish can be caught all year round outside of spawning periods. Like all coastal fish of which it is a part, haddock has three dorsal fins and two anal fins. Its body is more or less dark, crossed by a black lateral line and characterized by its silvery reflections. Its belly has a lighter shade on its back, it can be olive green and sometimes black. Two distinctive features for this fish: the black spot at the base of its pectoral fin and a small barbel on its lower jaw.

Fishing period : July to February

Minimum size : 30 cm

Difficulty :

N°6 | 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°7 | The Smoothhound fish

The Smoothhound fish belongs to the Triakidae family. In exceptional cases, the emissole can reach a length of 160 cm, but it is common between 60 and 120 cm. He can live for about twenty years. Breeding takes place between June and March. The female can give birth to 10 or 20 young. It is mainly fished in the summer. The Smoothhound fish is a cartilaginous fish (the skeleton is composed of cartilage elements) of medium size. The body is elongated and tapered. The head is compressed in the upper part and the muzzle is long and rounded. The mouth, located at the bottom, is oblique and equipped with a series of small and low teeth, which may be less rounded in young people. The nostrils, in a ventral position, have a large opening, and are closer to the mouth than to the top of the muzzle. The eyes are small, round in young subjects, and horizontal oblong pupil (typical of deep-sea species) in adults. On the muzzle, there are sensory organs for depth detection (hydrostatic). Next to the terminal part of the head, there are five gill cracks. A subtle but distinct fold of the skin is found along the back, from the tail to the gill cracks. The skin (shagreen skin) is almost smooth. The dorsal fins are two, triangular in shape, the second is slightly smaller than the first. The pectoral muscles have a rounded and slightly concave inner top. The caudal fin has two non-symmetrical lobes (the upper part more developed). The anal fin is present. The colouring of the back and sides ar

Fishing period : summer

Minimum size : 60 cm

Difficulty :

N°8 | The Conger Eel

The Conger Eel belongs to the Anguillidae family. Its average size is 40 to 150 cm for an average weight of 4 kg. It has a life span of 50 years old. They breed from spring to summer. The best period to fish for Conger Eel is from April to September at night. Snake-shaped, oval body and the rear part is vertically compressed. The skin is relatively thick and covered with mucus that covers the scales. The lower jaw is longer than the upper and the nostrils are tubular. The dorsal and anal fins merge with the caudal fin and this all forms a single continuous fin that starts well behind the pectoral fins. There is no pelvic fin. Back brown-green with yellowish belly for yellow eel but back black with silver belly for silver eel. It turns black with a silver belly in silver eels for individuals ready to migrate to the Sargasso Sea.

Fishing period : April to September

Minimum size : 58 cm

Difficulty :

N°9 | Seabass

The Seabass belongs to the Moronidae family. Its size is usually between 70 and 80 cm (1.10 m maximum). The life expectancy of the seabass is variable: about thirty years in an aquarium, 24 years in Ireland, 6 years maximum most often in the Mediterranean. Breeding takes place between December and March or January to May depending on the location. The female lays 200,000 eggs at once. The body of this fish is elongated and slightly compressed. The two dorsal fins (the first thorny and the second soft) are well separated and have almost the same length and height. The anal fin is composed of 10 soft rays preceded by 3 thorny rays. The caudal peduncle is quite elongated and the caudal fin is indented, with an upper lobe often slightly longer than the lower lobe. The pectoral fins are short. The upper part of the head is quite straight, the upper jaw is a little shorter than the lower jaw. The operculum may have a more or less visible black spot in its posterior upper part. The scales are small in size but clearly visible. The lateral line is slightly arched in the front part of the body. The back is grey in color, the sides are lighter, with yellowish or silvery reflections. The pectoral and ventral fins are yellowish white; the others are darker. Mostly in young individuals, black spots may be present in the dorso-ventral region.

Fishing period : Refer to section below

Minimum size : 40 cm

Difficulty :

N°10 | The Pollack fish

The Pollack fish belongs to the Gadidae family. Its size can reach 1.40 m for an average of 60 to 80 cm. The Pollack grows very quickly and lives between 8 and 10 years, while most pelagic fish have a lifespan of more than 20 years. Reproduction takes place in February March. Fertility can reach 4 million eggs. It can be fished all year round. Elongated body, covered with small scales, orange-yellow color, darker on the back, marbled in young individuals, bright yellowish white in adults. Prominent lower jaw, big eye. The dark-colored lateral line is curved at the pectoral fins, which makes it easily distinguishable from the black locus (Pollachius virens) in which it is straight. The Pollack, like many Gadidae, has three clearly triangular dorsal fins and two anal fins. It is one of the few Gadidae that does not have chin barbells. Juveniles are rather reddish brown with longitudinal stripes of blue-grey.

Fishing period : All year

Minimum size : 30 cm

Difficulty :

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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 .