Sea Fish Species Guide

With over 300 different species of fish being found in coastal waters around the British Isles, it is easy to understand why some of the less common species can be difficult to identify. Whilst species such as cod and bass are fairly well recognised by anglers, the differences between plaice, dab and sole can still be a struggle to identify for many anglers.

Here we discuss many of the fish that are sought after or likely to be encountered by sea anglers. We disclose the essential facts required to begin catching the species of your choice, whilst also providing information which will allow you to identify your catch.

If you’re planning to fish in UK waters, you’re probably going to need a fishing licence, explained here.

Search For Sea Fish Species

Sea fish species across the British Isles can be split into three main categories:

1. Round Fish

Round fish are fish which have a round cross section and a body which narrows into a tail – pretty much exactly what you would think of when you think of a fish – they also tend to have broad heads and gills. Cod, haddock and bass are all common examples of round fish. The majority of these fish species can be found in relatively shallow water; as a result they are regularly caught by sea anglers across the UK. There are, however, a few round fish species which favour deep water and so are not often caught from the shore – these species include haddock and ling.

2. Flatfish

These fish have the typical flattened bodies you would expect, with their fins being located around the edges. They generally have a lateral line visible along the middle of their cross-section, with both eyes positioned on the upper side of their head. Flatfish are commonly labelled as either right eyed or left eyed, depending on the side of the head the eyes are located when the fish is viewed from straight on.

The most common species of flatfish are discussed here, although there are some very rare species which are generally found in particularly deep water and are highly unlikely to be encountered by anglers. It is also worth mentioning that despite skates and rays looking similar to flatfish, they are actually completely different and more closely related to sharks than flatfish.

3. Eels

In the UK there are only two species of eel which will be encountered by anglers – the conger eel and the european eel. Eel species are identified by their characteristically long bodies, a lone fin which is present across their entire body and their slimy, scaleless skin.

There are fish species which have some, but not all of these characteristics and therefore are not eels. Other eel species do reside in UK waters, however these exist at extreme depths and will never come into contact with common anglers.

Other

Here are other species of fish which can be found in British waters but do not fit the clear descriptions of either round fish, flatfish or eels. This section covers skates, shark species and rays.