Monkfish

[fishaman]

Hi guys after some help,does anyone have any pics of proper monkfish not anglerfish that is being classed as monkfish,I remember many years ago when I was a young boy seeing pics of monkfish in sea angler and they were defo not what is classed as monkfish,I read somewhere these proper monks were almost wiped out due to the popularity of mock scampi in the late 60s and 70s
Also having a debate with some bloke on fisherman's locker over this and I'm 100% sure I'm correct just need the pics

Cheers
Tony

 

[kayos]

There seems to be two sub species of Monkfish in the UK, the white bellied and the black bellied(both aka Anglerfish). The former sub species was over fished as you say.


Monkfish, Anglerfish | Marine Conservation Society

 

[BillQuay]

Try Wikipedia and British Sea Fishing.co.uk both have info on subject.
According to the latter an anglerfish is a generic term use for all fish that use a lure to catch prey. Therefore the Monkfish also falls into this category.

 

[big_sean]

What you are remembering is this.

Monk Fish = Squatina squatina

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squatina_squatina

Angler Fish = Lophius piscatorius

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lophius_piscatorius

 

[magpies]

That's it mate, that's what I think of as a monkfish

 

[Uncle_Filthster]

Angelshark is the proper monkfish. I don't know how these common names spread onto more than one species, especially unrelated ones. That's why we have scientific names for species though as it avoids confusion.

There was a nice one caught in Wales last week

 

[fishaman]

That's the boy,remember seeing lots of stories about them years ago but they were never called angelsharks only ever monkfish

Thanks
Tony

 

[Uncle_Filthster]

I think that was down to a global renaming of species groups for science and education as there are quite a few species of angelsharks spread across the world. e.g. lesser spotted dogfish's correct common name is now small spotted catshark and huss have kept their other common name of nursehound, but are also part of the catshark group. They aren't called dogfish anymore as dogfish give birth to live young. What we commonly call rays are correctly classified as skate for the same reason (egg layers)............Not that any of this will stop any of the old local names still being used

 

[fishaman]

Bloody mind boggling