Lumpfish

SIZE : 

From 40 cm to 50 cm, up to 60 cm.

LIFE EXPECTANCY : 

Up to 13 years.

LIFE CYCLE : 

Sexual maturity around 5 or 6 years.

Spawning takes place in May and June in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Adults migrate to shallow coastal waters.

Males take part in an arduous nuptial procession to defend their territory and conquer their mate.

The female lays a mass of over 140,000 eggs. This spongy, sticky mass attaches itself to stones among the algae.

Once it has laid its eggs, the female returns to deeper waters. Incubation lasts from 1 and a half to 2 months. The male defends and fans its eggs. To aerate them, it stretches the mass of eggs by inserting its head to circulate water with jaw movements.

Near the bottom, between 50 m and 150 m deep.

Lumpfish can withstand temperatures ranging from 1 ° C to 11 ° C. They can occasionally withstand temperatures of up to 20 ° C for less than 24 hours. They prefer rocky areas with abundant vegetation for hiding.

PREY :

Molluscs
Worms
Jellyfishes
Small crustaceans
Echinoderms
Small herrings
Sand lances

MACHINES : 

Gillnets.

REGULATIONS :

• Restricted season and fishing zones
• Regulated mesh size to avoid catching undersized individuals

The number of large lumpfish catches and fishermen has greatly decreased since 1986.

This fish is mostly caught for its eggs, known as “lumpfish eggs” or ” fake-caviar”.

BENEFITS : 

Eggs of the large lumpfish are rich in vitamins A, B12 and D, as well as sodium, iodine, and phosphorus.

LET’S COOK : 

It is not the flesh of the lumpfish that is eaten, but rather its crunchy and slightly iodine tasting eggs. They are colored red, to make them more appetizing; or black, to look more like caviar.

OUR CULINARY ADVICE :

• Given its threatened status, and the fact that its eggs may contain coloring agents, we do not recommend consuming products from lumpfish.