Atlantic Wolffish | Oceana

Home / Atlantic Wolffish

Marine Life Encyclopedia > Ocean Fishes > Atlantic Wolffish

Atlantic Wolffish

Named for their distinctive canine-like front teeth, Atlantic wolffish have super strong jaws — perfect to chow down on hard-shelled food like crabs and sea urchins!

 

Atlantic wolffish are primarily found in the north Atlantic Ocean from Maine to the Baltic Sea. These fish are relatively sedentary and prefer to inhabit rocky habitats where they can easily find shelter, feed, and spawn. They are bottom-dwellers characterized by a tapered body shape and a large, rounded head, but what really sets them apart from most other groundfish is their teeth! Multiple rows of teeth, some of which protrude noticeably from their mouths, help these fish feed on tough bottom-dwelling invertebrates, such as scallops, hermit crabs, and sea urchins.

Atlantic wolffish usually seek out shallow waters between 20-60 meters (65.6 to 196.9 feet) during the summer and travel to deeper waters typically up to 500 meters (1,640 feet) in the winter. While they typically live alone, they shift their behavior during the spawning season (peaking from September to October) when males and females form bonded pairs. In a remarkable display of parental care, females lay eggs in masses which the males guard for approximately 3 to 9 months until they hatch!

 

 

Although they are not currently commercially targeted in the United States, Atlantic wolffish often end up as bycatch which can put them at risk of overexploitation. Additionally, a 2020 assessment by NOAA concluded that Atlantic wolffish were overfished. Bottom trawling also is known to destroy their habitat in the Northwest Atlantic, further threatening the species.

 

 

The Atlantic wolffish is currently designated as a zero-possession species. This means that fishers are strictly prohibited from fishing for, possessing, or landing this fish. In addition, they are included in the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan, which requires time and area closures to protect spawning habitats and Management plans like this help mitigate the effects of overfishing. Oceana campaigns to promote responsible fishing to ensure our oceans remain abundant and healthy.

 

 

NOAA  

Bluemel, J. K., et. al (2022). Decline in Atlantic wolffish Anarhichas lupus in the North Sea: Impacts of fishing pressure and climate change. Journal of Fish Biology, Volume 100, Issue 1, Pages 253–267. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.14942 

IUCN Red List  

 

GET INVOLVED

DONATE TODAY

SUPPORT OUR WORK TO PROTECT THE OCEANS BY GIVING TODAY

With the support of more than 1 million activists like you, we have already protected over 4 million square miles of ocean.

DONATE

TAKE ACTION NOW

SUPPORT POLICY CHANGE FOR THE OCEANS

Decision-makers need to hear from ocean lovers like you. Make your voice heard!

ACT NOW

VISIT OUR ADOPTION CENTER

SYMBOLICALLY ADOPT AN ANIMAL TODAY

Visit our online store to see all the ocean animals you can symbolically adopt, either for yourself or as a gift for someone else.

SHOP THE STORE

DOWNLOAD OCEAN ACTIVITIES

HELP KIDS DISCOVER OUR BLUE PLANET

Our free KELP (Kids Environmental Lesson Plans) empower children to learn about and protect our oceans!

LEARN MORE

FEATURED CAMPAIGN

Save the Oceans, Feed the World

We are restoring the world’s wild fish populations to serve as a sustainable source of protein for people.

Learn More

MORE CAMPAIGNS

Protect Habitat

Bycatch

Plastics

View All

CONTACT

Oceana International Headquarters
1025 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036 USA

General Inquiries
+1(202)-833-3900
info@oceana.org

Donation Inquiries
+1(202)-569-4895
wavemaker@oceana.org

Press Inquiries
+1(202)-833-3900
press@oceana.org

OCEANA'S EFFICIENCY

BECOME A WAVEMAKER

Sign up today to get weekly updates and action alerts from Oceana.

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT WITH A DONATION

We have already protected over 4 million square miles of ocean and innumerable sea life - but there is still more to be done.

Donate Now

QUICK LINKS: