Monkfish, Anglerfish | Good Fish Guide | The consumer guide to sustainable seafood

Common name - Monkfish, Anglerfish

Scientific name - Lophius piscatorius and Lophius budegassa

Average rating

Visit Fishonline for the full range of options available for this species.

Consumer Information

A fantastical-looking ugly fish with a very big mouth. It rests on the seabed until it snaps up prey attracted to a lure above its cavernous mouth, hence it's alternative name, anglerfish. It has a sweet taste, comparable to langoustine with a firm, meaty texture. It has been called ??poor man's lobster', but nowadays is an expensive fish in its own right. The tail is the most prized part for cooking and you can roast, steam, grill or use it in soups and stews. In short looks menacing, tastes great. However, Monkfish are long-lived and late maturing, making them vulnerable to fishing. Choose fish which is net-caught, above the size at maturity (about 70 cm) and from the Southwest stock or from Iceland, which are currently being fished sustainably.

Summary

There are two species of monkfish caught commercially in UK and EU waters, white bellied monkfish (Lophius piscatorius) and black bellied monkfish (Lophius budgegassa). The status of monkfish stocks are unknown and scientists say they have such poor data about the number of fish that are caught that it is impossible to produce accurate advice on the status of the stocks, and are calling for much more stringent monitoring of these fisheries. More detailed information on stock status and fishing mortality is essential before they can be considered as sustainable fisheries. Although mostly taken as a bycatch species it is targeted by a number of modern fishing gears, making this species vulnerable throughout its range. Monkfish is usually only targeted in gillnet fisheries. Gillnet caught fish tend to be larger and thus are more likely to be mature and therefore the more sustainable choice. There is a minimum marketing weight of 500g for monkfish in the EU, however this is unlikely to reflect the size of a mature fish. Monkfish mature at an average size of 70cm, so always source fish from fisheries which select for fish at or above this size.

Alternatives

(Based on method of production, fish type, and consumer rating: only fish rated 3 and below are included.)

Basa, Tra, Catfish or Vietnamese River Cobbler
Bass, seabass
Bream, gilthead
Gurnard, Grey
Gurnard, Red
Gurnard, Yellow or Tub
Halibut, Atlantic
John Dory
Red mullet, Striped red mullet
Tilapia

Visit Fishonline, the website for the seafood industry, for more detailed information about this species.