Viviparous Blenny
Eelpout - Scientific name - Zoarces viviparus
Conservation status
Eelpout are valuable bioindicators due to their sensitivity to pollution, making them useful for assessing the health of marine environments.
The IUCN list them as Least Concern. Their biggest threat are changes in water temperature due to climate change, pollution, and bycatch. They are monitored in the Baltic and North Seas, for their abundance and health and are included in the EU Marine strategy framework.
Overview
Viviparous Blenny or European Eelpout is a species of marine ray-finned fish. It has a slim, tapering body, a wide head and mouth and bulging lips. Their body is very slimy.
It can be found all the way round the British Isles coastline – except for the Irish Atlantic coast. It is abundant in the North sea round Scandinavia and into the Baltic. It is a cold water fish and lives in the intertidal zone often hiding under rocks or within seaweed. It is sedentary.
Adults can occasionally reach 52 cm but are typically 25-35 cm long. They live for between 15 and 20 years.
Eelpout feed on a wide range of invertebrates and small fish as well as larger fish in adulthood such as perch. trout and grayling.
Eelpout are prey to seals, seabirds, and larger fish like cod, skate, sculpin, and halibut.
The female Eelpout stands out as it has one of the longest known pregnancies for a fish, lasting 6 months. The fish suckles its young embryos while still in it’s mother’s body making it the only fish species to suckle its offspring.
The Eelpout has a number of different colours including brown, grey, yellow, and green tones. Some species, like the ocean pout, can have reddish-brown or even pinkish hues. The colour can be influenced by the environment helping to add camouflage.
Eelpout is a common soup ingredient in Mediterranean countries. The bones are of greenish colour, due to a harmless pigment.
Source
IUCN - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18181090/45904990
Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viviparous_eelpout
Marine Biological Assoiation - https://www.marlin.ac.uk/species/detail/2229