Sea lamprey | DE L'EAU À LA BOUCHE

Illustration couleur d'une lamproie marine.

Corps allongé et cylindrique, comme l’anguille.

Pas d’écailles.

De couleur généralement jaunâtre, marbrée de brun et noir sur le dos.

3 nageoires et 7 ouvertures branchiales de chaque côté de sa petite tête.

Bouche circulaire, plus large que son corps, armée de plusieurs rangées de dents coniques. Elle agit comme une ventouse pour se coller à d’autres individus. Sa langue perce et râpe la peau de ses proies.

Nom

Sea lamprey
Petromyzon marinus

Type

Anadromous fish

Autres appellations

Nom en cuisine

Lamprey

État de la ressource

Not a cause for concern

Saison de consommation

Not yet commercially available.

SIZE : 120 cm for 2.5 kg.

LIFE EXPECTANCY : Around 9 years.

LIFE CYCLE : Adults live 2 to 3 years in the ocean before migrating to fresh water during spring and summer to reproduce.

Sea lamprey build a nest in the substrate, 60 cm to 90 cm wide. The male defends the nest, where the female lays around 230,000 eggs. Sea lampreys die after spawning.

After 10 to 15 days, the eggs hatch. The larvae, which are blind and toothless, develop over a period of 6 to 8 years, feeding on algae and plankton. The adult lampreys then migrate to the estuary and the open sea during autumn.

Fluid communication

Sea lampreys release pheromones through their skin to communicate. Males and females that are ready to reproduce use this chemical substance to attract each other.

In the water column, over 4,000 m deep.

Sea lamprey can withstand temperatures ranging from 1 ° C to 20 ° C.

Its habitat varies throughout its life. Certain sea lamprey populations live in saltwater and migrate to fresh water to reproduce. It is an anadromous fish. Other populations spend their lives in freshwater lakes.

Photographie sous-marine d'une lamproie sur des cailloux.

The lamprey is more at home in the depths.
Credit : C. Krueger, GLFC

Voir l’image en plein écran

PREY :

Fish
Herrings
Salmons
Cods
Strugeons

PREDATORS :

Striped bass
Swordfishs
Sea lampreys (cannibal-ism)

Photographie de la bouche d'une lamproie.

The sea lamprey feeds on the blood and flesh of its prey. These will rarely survive.
Credit : Henk Heessen, photo taken in 2005.

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No commercial fishing in Quebec.

The sea lamprey can cause significant economic losses for the fishing industry, due to the injuries it inflicts on fish of interest.

BENEFITS : Rich in protein and fatty acids, low in carbohydrates.

LET’S COOK : Fatty, soft, and tender texture. Earthy flavor and a pronounced taste, sometimes compared to that of meat.

Sea lamprey is not eaten as a fillet. It is cut and cooked in pieces. It has no bones, just a rigid dorsal structure that can give it a crunchy texture. This structure can also be removed.

OUR CULINARY ADVICE :

It is important to clean the lamprey thoroughly, as the mucus covering its body can be toxic.
- If the fishmonger has not done so, the sea lamprey needs to be bled before cooking. The blood is traditionally saved and mixed with vinegar or wine. This mixture is used for cooking, in particularly in the recipe for lamprey à la Bordelaise.
Long simmering times of 2 to 3 hours will make its flesh melt in your mouth.
To lighten its taste, certain ingredients are recommended: garlic, thyme, bay leaves, onions, leeks, and red wine, preferably fruity with a hint of acidity.

A fish unlike any other

One of the characteristics of the great fish family is that they have jaws. Yet sea lampreys have none. They are therefore a very ancient species. They are also the only fish that must be bled before cooking.