Pollachius virens

Köhler ( Pollachius virens)

The charcoal-burner or sablefish ( Pollachius virens ) belongs to the cod family and thus to order the cod -like fish. Fishermen and anglers call it a rule with its actual and technically impeccable name " Köhler ". In the fishing industry, however, the misleading of zoological view name pollock is considered to be promotional, although the Köhler is not among the salmon, to the family of Salmonidae ( "Trout fish ", " salmon fish " ) belong.

Features

The body of the Koehler is elongated, and he has three dorsal fins and two anal fins, which are close together. The lateral line, a clearly visible light strip runs parallel to his back, where he is usually dyed jet black and merges the coloring of the edges in a silvery- white lustrous bottom. The older animals are identified by a slightly protruding lower jaw. It is striking that the characteristic for cod chin thread mostly missing.

Köhler reach an age of up to 30 years and grow up to 1.20 meters long and up to 17 kilograms. The world's largest documented Köhler, a fish of 22.3 kg was an angler Salstraumen in Northern Norway captured, but were caught by professional fishermen allegedly already Köhler far in excess of 40 kg.

Occurrence

The Köhler comes in the entire North Atlantic and in the northern North Sea, but only rarely in the Baltic Sea. He stays near the coast and in the open sea and is found to a depth of 250 meters.

Way of life

The Kohler is a living pelagic schooling fish. The main food source for the young animals are crustaceans and fish spawning, while adult Köhler hunting on smaller schooling fish ( herring, sprat ) make.

Use

The Köhler in Germany is the third most important food fish (about 8 % of the fish range ) and comes as a fresh, salt or dried fish, colored as saithe in oil and as frozen fillets on the market. The name " pollock " (as well as " pollock " ) an invention of the food industry and is based on the ( from the period before the introduction of farmed salmon originating ) using the meat as a red colored " Lachsersatz ".