Sea raven | DE L'EAU À LA BOUCHE

Illustration couleur d'un hémitriptère atlantique.

Poisson corpulent ressemblant un peu à un crapaud avec ses yeux globuleux sur le dessus du crâne.

Avant de son corps plus trapu que le reste

Large tête barrée d’une grande bouche oblique avec des dents acérées. Barbillons sous la mâchoire,

Nageoires pectorales, en forme d’éventail, grandes et arrondies. Queue ronde.

Multiples excroissances majoritairement sur la tête, des piquants sur le dos et des nageoires dorsales semblant déchiquetées.

Couleur variable selon son environnement. Éclat de sa couleur changeant : le rouge devenant rouge vif à brun rouge ou le jaunâtre devenant jaune vif à jaune-brun.

Name

Sea raven
Hemitripterus americanus

Type

Bottom fish

Other names

Kitchen name

Sea raven

Resource status

Not determined

Consumption season

Not commercialized in Quebec yet.

SIZE:

Up to 70 cm long.

LIFE EXPECTANCY:

Not determined.

LIFE CYCLE:

Females lay approximately 15,000 large spherical eggs that are pale yellow to orange. The eggs stick to small rocks or sponges, forming small clusters of 140 to 500 eggs. The sea raven then watches over its eggs. Spawning takes place from November to January.

Close to the seabed, down to 180 m depth.

The sea raven prefers temperatures between −2 and 16 °C.

Photographie d'un hémitriptère entouré d'anémones.

The sea raven lives on rocky or hard bottoms
Credit: Richard Larocque, photo taken in Les Méchins, at 15 m depth.

Voir l’image en plein écran

PREYS:

Small fish
Benthic invertebrates

PREDATORS:

No predators

Photographie couleur d'un rocher sur lequel des oursins sont attachés à droite de la photographie. Au centre, 6 concombre de mer et un hémitriptère sont posés sur le rocher.

Can you find the sea raven? Maybe it is simply too good at camouflage to have predators... Its morphology, pro-tuberances and ability to change colour make it imperceptible.
Credit: Richard Larocque, photo taken at la Baie des Capucins, at 15 m depth.

Voir l’image en plein écran

There is no managed fishing for sea raven in Quebec.

It may be an incidental catch during bottom fishing (trawling) and lobster fishing (traps).

Chance for survival as incidental catch

Researchers have evaluated the sea raven’s reflexes and measured cortisol levels and other stress markers in their bloodstream. They found that there is little chance these fish survive if returned to the water, regardless of whether the sea raven has been hurt or not. So why not make use of them, right?

When it emerges from the water, the sea raven’s belly swells so much with air that it cannot dive back down for several minutes.

Sea raven is a Smarter seafood-listed species.

BENEFITS:

No information.

LET’S COOK:

It has a firm and flaky flesh and a rich and delicate flavour.

OUR CULINARY ADVICE:

When cutting the fish, be careful with the spines at the end of the fins. They are very sharp.

Species