Patagonian toothfish

Dissostichus eleginoides

The Patagonian toothfish ( Dissostichus eleginoides ) is a representative of the Antarctic cod ( Nototheniidae ) and thus belongs to the Perciformes ( Perciformes ). It is up to two meters long and lives mainly in the waters around Antarctica, off the coasts of Chile and Patagonia and the Falkland Islands at depths 300-3500 m.

Together with the giant Antarctic Cod ( Dissostichus mawsoni ) this fish is fished intensively, particularly in recent years - due to its high price, often illegally. According to estimates by the Minister Warwick Parer and Alexander Downer in 1998 he should be exterminated economy in the coming years. The animals are caught on longlines, which are about 130 km long and have up to 30,000 hooks. The catch rate is very high.