Species FAO code: WHG

Merlangius merlangus

Page contents

Commercial designations
Production methods and fishing gears
EU quality schemes and nutrition values
Conservation measures
Marketing standards
Species distribution and habitat
Species description
Combined Nomenclature

Commercial designations

Country	Commercial designations	Names accepted or permitted locally or regionally
Austria	de Merlan de Wittling	–
Belgium	fr Merlan nl Wijting	–
Bulgaria	bg Черноморски меджид [Merlangius merlangus euxinus synonym for Merlangius merlangus] bg Меджид	–
Croatia	hr pišmolj	–
Cyprus	el ταούκι	–
Czech Republic	cs Treska merlan cs Treska bezvousá	–
Denmark	da Hvilling	–
Estonia	et Merlang	–
Finland	fi valkoturska sv vitling	–
France	fr merlan	–
Germany	de Wittling de Merlan	–
Greece	el Ταούκι	–
Hungary	hu vékonybajszú tőkehal [Merlangus merlangus synonym for Merlangius merlangus]	–
Ireland	en Whiting ga Faoitín	–
Italy	it Merlano it molo	–
Latvia	lv Merlangs	–
Lithuania	lt paprastasis merlangas	–
Luxembourg	de Merlan de Wittling fr merlan	–
Netherlands	nl Wijting	–
Poland	pl Witlinek	–
Portugal	pt Badejo	–
Romania	ro Bacaliar [Merlangius merlangus euxinus synonym for Merlangius merlangus] ro Merlan	–
Slovakia	sk treska merlang	–
Slovenia	sl mol	–
Spain	es Merlan	Asturias: Liba Asturias: Ferrete Asturias: Borriquete Balearic Islands: Merla Catalonia: Merlá Valencia: Merla Basque Country: Liba
Sweden	sv Vitling	–

Main production methods

Caught

Main fishing gears

Source: Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. FishBase. Merlangius merlangus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Nutrition values

	Nutrition values per serving (100g)
Energy	90.0 kcal
Total fat	1.31 g
Saturates	0.247 g
Carbohydrate	0.0 g
Sugars	0.0 g
Protein	18.31 g
Salt	180.0 mg

Source: USDA - FoodData Central

Minimum conservation reference sizes

As defined in art. 8 of Regulation (EU) 2015/812 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2015, which admends article 47 of Regulation (EU) No 1379/2013, where minimum conservation reference sizes are established, they shall constitute minimum marketing sizes. More

Minimum conservation reference size

≥ 27.0 cmTotal length (TL)

Fishing areas

North Sea: the North Sea shall comprise ICES sub-area 4, the adjacent part of ICES Division 2a lying south of latitude 64° N, and that part of ICES Division 3a which is not covered by the definition of Skagerrak

Minimum conservation reference size

≥ 27.0 cmTotal length (TL)

Fishing areas

27.8 Bay of Biscay (Subarea VIII)
27.9 Portuguese Waters (Subarea IX)
27.10 Azores Grounds (Subarea X)
34.2 Northern Oceanic
34.1.1 Morocco Coastal
34.1.2 Canaries/Madeira Insular

Minimum conservation reference size

≥ 27.0 cmTotal length (TL)

Fishing areas

27.5 Iceland and Faeroes Grounds (Subarea V)
27.6 Rockall, Northwest Coast of Scotland and North Ireland, (the Northwest Coast of Scotland and North Ireland also known as the West of Scotland) (Subarea VI)
27.7 Irish Sea, West of Ireland, Porcupine Bank, Eastern and Western English Channel, Bristol Channel, Celtic Sea North and South, and Southwest of Ireland - East and West (Subarea VII)

Minimum conservation reference size

≥ 23.0 cmTotal length (TL)

Fishing areas

27.3.a Skagerrak and Kattegat (Division IIIa)

TACs and quotas

Total allowable catches (TACs) or fishing opportunities, are catch limits (expressed in tonnes or numbers) that are set for most commercial fish stocks. TACs are set annually for most stocks (every two years for deep-sea stocks) by the Council of fisheries ministers. TACs are shared between EU countries in the form of national quotas. For each stock a different allocation percentage per EU country is applied for the sharing out of the quotas. Read more: TACs and quotas

Stocks (2021)

W/P/4N-S62

Pollachius pollachius
Merlangius merlangus

Fishing areas

27.4 North Sea (Subarea IV) Norwegian waters south of 62° N

TAC

Not relevant

Union

190.0 t

Stocks (2021)

WHG/03A.

Merlangius merlangus

Fishing areas

27.3.a Skagerrak and Kattegat (Division IIIa)

TAC

929.0 t

Union

720.0 t

69.0 t

2.0 t

649.0 t

Stocks (2021)

WHG/07A.

Merlangius merlangus

Fishing areas

27.7.a Irish Sea (Division VIIa)

TAC

721.0 t

Exclusively for by-catches. No directed fisheries are permitted under this quota.

Union

305.0 t

Exclusively for by-catches. No directed fisheries are permitted under this quota.

0.0 t

Exclusively for by-catches. No directed fisheries are permitted under this quota.

22.0 t

Exclusively for by-catches. No directed fisheries are permitted under this quota.

280.0 t

Exclusively for by-catches. No directed fisheries are permitted under this quota.

2.0 t

Exclusively for by-catches. No directed fisheries are permitted under this quota.

Stocks (2021)

WHG/08.

Merlangius merlangus

Fishing areas

27.8 Bay of Biscay (Subarea VIII)

TAC

2276.0 t

Union

2201.0 t

880.0 t

1321.0 t

Stocks (2021)

WHG/2AC4.

Merlangius merlangus

Fishing areas

27.4 North Sea (Subarea IV)
27.2.a Norwegian Sea (Division IIa) United Kingdom waters

TAC

21360.0 t

Union

6379.0 t

413.0 t

464.0 t

1785.0 t

3.0 t

1032.0 t

2682.0 t

Stocks (2021)

WHG/56-14

Merlangius merlangus

Fishing areas

27.5.b Faeroes Grounds (Division Vb) United Kingdom and international waters
27.6 Rockall, Northwest Coast of Scotland and North Ireland, (the Northwest Coast of Scotland and North Ireland also known as the West of Scotland) (Subarea VI)
27.12 North of Azores (Subarea XII) international waters
27.14 East Greenland (Subarea XIV) international waters

TAC

937.0 t

Exclusively for by-catches. No directed fisheries are permitted under this quota.

Union

352.0 t

Exclusively for by-catches. No directed fisheries are permitted under this quota.

299.0 t

Exclusively for by-catches. No directed fisheries are permitted under this quota.

50.0 t

Exclusively for by-catches. No directed fisheries are permitted under this quota.

3.0 t

Exclusively for by-catches. No directed fisheries are permitted under this quota.

Stocks (2021)

WHG/7X7A-C

Merlangius merlangus

Fishing areas

27.7.d Eastern English Channel (Division VIId)
27.7.g Celtic Sea North (Division VIIg)
27.7.h Celtic Sea South ( Division VIIh)
27.7.e Western English Channel (Division VIIe)
27.7.k Southwest of Ireland - West (Division VIIk)
27.7.j Southwest of Ireland / East (Division VIIj)
27.7.c Porcupine Bank (Division VIIc)
27.7.b West of Ireland (Division VIIb)
27.7.f Bristol Channel (Division VIIf)

TAC

10259.0 t

Union

8692.0 t

39.0 t

4663.0 t

74.0 t

3916.0 t

Specific requirements that fishery products marketed in the EU shall meet. They include freshness and size categories.

Freshness categories

	A	B	Extra
Flesh	Less elastic	Slightly soft (flaccid), less elastic; waxy (velvety) and dull surface	Firm and elastic; smooth surface
Gills	Less coloured; transparent mucus	Brown/grey becoming discoloured; thick, opaque mucus	Bright colour; no mucus
Peritoneum (in gutted fish)	Slightly dull; can be detached from flesh	Speckled; comes away easily from flesh	Smooth; bright; difficult to detach from flesh
Smell of gills and abdominal cavity	No smell of seaweed; neutral smell	Fermented; slightly sour	Seaweedy
Eye	Convex and slightly sunken; black dull pupil; slightly opalescent cornea	Flat; opalescent cornea; opaque pupil	Convex (bulging); black, bright pupil; transparent cornea
Skin	Pigmentation bright but not lustrous	Pigmentation in the process of becoming discoloured and dull	Bright, iridescent pigment (save for redfish) or opalescent; no discolouration
Skin mucus	Slightly cloudy	Milky	Aqueous, transparent

Size categories

Size	weight/fish
1	≥ 0.5 kg
2	≥ 0.35 \| < 0.5 kg
3	≥ 0.25 \| < 0.35 kg
4	≥ 0.11 \| < 0.25 kg

Habitat

Saltwater
Brackish water

FAO major fishing areas

Source: Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. FishBase. Merlangius merlangus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Distribution maps

Source: Aquamaps - Computer Generated Native Distribution Map for Merlangius merlangus

Source: FAO - FAO aquatic species distribution map of Merlangius merlangus

Scientific name

Merlangius merlangus

Author

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Rank

Species

FAO code

WHG

Morphological description

Body elongate; head small. Chin barbel small or absent. Lateral-line canals on head with pores. Color is variable; yellowish-brown, dark blue or green, sides yellowish grey, white and silvery on belly; often with a small dark blotch at the upper base of the pectoral fin.

Taxonomic classification

ClassActinopterygii
- OrderGadiformes
  - FamilyGadidae
    - GenusMerlangius
      - SpeciesMerlangius merlangus

Synonyms

Merlangus merlangus euxinus (Nordmann, 1840)
Merlangius merlangus euxinus (Nordmann, 1840)
Merlangius merlangus merlangus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Odontogadus merlangus merlangus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Merlangius merlangius (Linnaeus, 1758)
Merlangus linnei Malm, 1877
Gadus euxinus Nordmann, 1840
Merlangus vulgaris Fleming, 1828
Odontogadus merlangus euxinus (Nordmann, 1840)
Gadus merlangus merlangus Linnaeus, 1758
Merlangus merlangus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Gadus merlangus euxinus Nordmann, 1840
Gadus merlangus Linnaeus, 1758
Odontogadus merlangus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Source: Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. FishBase. Merlangius merlangus (Linnaeus, 1758)

An annually revised goods classification scheme used in EU for the purposes of customs duty and foreign trade statistics. The scheme is based on the Harmonized System nomenclature, further extended with Community subdivisions. Each subdivision is identified by an eight-digit numerical code. Read more: Combined Nomenclature

03 — CHAPTER 3 - FISH AND CRUSTACEANS, MOLLUSCS AND OTHER AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES
- 0302 — Fish, fresh or chilled, excluding fish fillets and other fish meat of heading 0304
  - Fish of the families Bregmacerotidae, Euclichthyidae, Gadidae, Macrouridae, Melanonidae, Merlucciidae, Moridae and Muraenolepididae, excluding livers and roes
    - 0302 59 — Other
      - 0302 59 20 — Whiting (Merlangius merlangus)
- 0303 — Fish, frozen, excluding fish fillets and other fish meat of heading 0304
  - Fish of the families Bregmacerotidae, Euclichthyidae, Gadidae, Macrouridae, Melanonidae, Merlucciidae, Moridae and Muraenolepididae, excluding livers and roes
    - 0303 69 — Other
      - 0303 69 30 — Whiting (Merlangius merlangus)
- 0304 — Fish fillets and other fish meat (whether or not minced), fresh, chilled or frozen
  - Fresh or chilled fillets of other fish
    - 0304 44 — Fish of the families Bregmacerotidae, Euclichthyidae, Gadidae, Macrouridae, Melanonidae, Merlucciidae, Moridae and Muraenolepididae
      - 0304 44 90 — Other
  - Other, fresh or chilled
    - 0304 53 00 — Fish of the families Bregmacerotidae, Euclichthyidae, Gadidae, Macrouridae, Melanonidae, Merlucciidae, Moridae and Muraenolepididae
  - Frozen fillets of fish of the families Bregmacerotidae, Euclichthyidae, Gadidae, Macrouridae, Melanonidae, Merlucciidae, Moridae and Muraenolepididae
    - 0304 79 — Other
      - 0304 79 30 — Whiting (Merlangius merlangus)
  - Other, frozen
    - 0304 95 — Fish of the families Bregmacerotidae, Euclichthyidae, Gadidae, Macrouridae, Melanonidae, Merlucciidae, Moridae and Muraenolepididae, other than Alaska pollack (Theragra chalcogramma)
      - 0304 95 10 — Surimi
      - Other
        0304 95 90 — Other
- 0305 — Fish, dried, salted or in brine; smoked fish, whether or not cooked before or during the smoking process; flours, meals and pellets of fish, fit for human consumption
  - Fish fillets, dried, salted or in brine, but not smoked
    - 0305 32 — Fish of the families Bregmacerotidae, Euclichthyidae, Gadidae, Macrouridae, Melanonidae, Merlucciidae, Moridae and Muraenolepididae
      - 0305 32 90 — Other

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Merlangius merlangus

Commercial designations

Main production methods

Main fishing gears

Gillnets and similar nets

Hooks and lines

Seines

Trawls

Nutrition values

Minimum conservation reference sizes

TACs and quotas

Stocks (2021)

Stocks (2021)

Stocks (2021)

Stocks (2021)

Stocks (2021)

Stocks (2021)

Stocks (2021)

Freshness categories

Size categories

Habitat

FAO major fishing areas

Area 21 - Atlantic, Northwest

Area 27 - Atlantic, Northeast

Area 37 - Mediterranean and Black Sea

Distribution maps