322 Atlantic Halibut 



Size: Reaches a length of about one foot. 

 General Information: The Four-bearded Rockling is a 

 bottom species found in water depths ranging from a few 

 feet down to over 4,300 feet. The eggs are buoyant and 

 very similar in appearance to those of the red hake. The 

 principal foods of the Four-bearded Rockling are probably 

 small crustaceans and small fishes. 

 Economic Importance: None. 



Atlantic Halibut 

 Hippoglossus hippoglossus (Linnaeus) 



Color: Gray-brown, olive-brown, or dark brown on eyed 

 or upper side. Blind or lower side white in smaller fish 

 and blotched with gray in larger ones. 

 Distribution: Occurs regularly in the subarctic Atlantic. 

 On the American coast it is found from Labrador to Cape 

 Cod, and as a rare straggler south of Cape Cod to Virginia. 

 Size: Reported to reach a length of over 9 feet and a weight 

 of about 700 pounds. 



General Information: The Atlantic Halibut lives on the 

 bottom and has been taken in depths ranging from less 

 than 180 feet down to depths over 3,000 feet. The larger 

 fish are found in the deeper water. Spawning occurs in 

 spring. This is a prolific species, a female of about 200 

 pounds has been estimated to have produced over two 

 million eggs. The eggs are buoyant and hatch in 16 days 

 at a water temperature of 43 degrees. The Atlantic Halibut 

 is a voracious feeder, preying mostly on other fishes but 

 also eating crabs, lobsters, clams, and other crustaceans 

 and shellfish. 



