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List by scientific name

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British Fish

Species 1 - 23 of 23

Anglerfish (Lophius piscatorius)
The various names for this fish - anglerfish, monkfish, goosefish - point to the fact that it has a very unconventional appearance... More	11 Images	2 Videos

Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)
The cod is probably the best-known fish caught commercially in UK waters. In appearance, the head is rather disproportionately... More	9 Images	3 Videos

Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus)
Many people will be familiar with the herring as, for many years, it has been a staple of the fishmonger's slab. It is a shoaling... More	4 Images	3 Videos

Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus)
The Atlantic mackerel is a beautifully streamlined, fast-swimming fish. It has silver underparts and metallic green and blue... More	3 Images	1 Video

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)
The Atlantic salmon, 'the leaper', has been called the king of fish, due primarily to their spectacular ability to clear seemingly... More	6 Images	4 Videos

Brook lamprey (Lampetra planeri)
Lampreys are some of the most primitive vertebrates alive today, they are known as cyclostomes, which means 'round mouths' and... More	1 Image	0 Videos

Brown trout (Salmo trutta fario)
The brown trout is a beautiful fish, similar in general shape to the salmon; the back is dark, the sides pale, and both are flecked... More	8 Images	8 Videos

Bullhead (Cottus gobio)
The bullhead is the only freshwater member of the family Cottidae that is native to the UK. It is a small fish, with a large mouth... More	4 Images	4 Videos

Common carp (Cyprinus carpio)
The carp that occurs in Britain today is the most commercially important freshwater fish kept in ponds, and has been selectively... More	6 Images	4 Videos

Common eel (Anguilla anguilla)
The common or European eel has a very unusual and fascinating life cycle. Adults have long, narrow bodies, with a continuous dorsal... More	7 Images	4 Videos

European plaice (Pleuronectes platessa)
The plaice is Europe's most important commercial flatfish. Adults have a roughly diamond-shaped outline, and are readily identified... More	7 Images	3 Videos

Giant goby (Gobius cobitis)
Britain's largest native species of goby, the giant goby is greyish to olive brown with 'pepper and salt' freckling, which... More	1 Image	1 Video

Minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus)
The minnow is a small, lively freshwater fish, with a greenish-brown back, which features darker spots that form an attractive... More	6 Images	5 Videos

Perch (Perca fluviatilis)
The perch is a distinctive fish, with a deep greenish body marked with dark vertical bands, and the dorsal fin is stiffened with... More	8 Images	0 Videos

Pike (Esox lucius)
The pike is probably the coarse anglers most sought-after fish. It is predatory both in nature and appearance. The fish has a flat... More	10 Images	0 Videos

River lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis)
Lampreys are some of the most primitive vertebrates alive today. They are known as cyclostomes, which means 'round mouths' and... More	5 Images	2 Videos

Roach (Rutilus rutilus)
The roach is a common fish of fresh and brackish water, and one that is likely to be the most familiar to anglers. The eyes are... More	6 Images	0 Videos

Rudd (Scardinus erythrophthalmus)
This fish is often confused with the roach (Rutilus rutilus), as the two species are similar in appearance. In the rudd, the dorsal... More	5 Images	1 Video

Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)
Lampreys are some of the most primitive vertebrates alive today, they are known as cyclostomes, which means 'round mouths' and... More	2 Images	0 Videos

Spined loach (Cobitis taenia)
This small, bottom dwelling fish has an elongate flat-sided body, which is brownish grey in colour with dark patches to the flanks.... More	3 Images	0 Videos

Three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus aculeatus)
The stickleback is a well-known fish, and is the archetypal 'tiddler', the first small fish caught by many school children.... More	11 Images	5 Videos

Vendace (Coregonus albula)
This vendace is one of the UK's rarest freshwater fish; it is a small, streamlined and slim fish with a bluish green back, a white... More	1 Image	0 Videos

Whiting (Merlangius merlangus)
The whiting is similar in appearance to its larger relatives the cod, the haddock, the coley and the pollack. It has three dorsal... More	5 Images	1 Video

Species 1 - 23 of 23

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