Maine Seafood Guide – Wolffish

Wolffish

Species Description

Wolffish Anarhichas lupus
also known as ocean catfish

Wild.

Atlantic wolffish have a tapered body shape with a large, rounded head and a slender tail. They are bluish-gray in color, with a series of dark, vertical patches running along the length of their body. Wolffish have multiple rows of teeth, some of which project prominently from their mouth.

Wolffish are a bottom-dwelling, solitary fish of deep waters on both sides of the North Atlantic Ocean.

Season

No recreational fishing allowed.

Status

According to a 2017 operational assessment by NOAA Fisheries, Atlantic wolffish is overfished and overfishing is not occurring.

Regulatory Authority

New England Fishery Management Council Multispecies (groundfish) Plan.

Harvest Method

None.

Recreational Harvest

None. Anglers are prohibited from landing Atlantic wolffish in Maine.

Health Benefits & Risks

View the 2021 US Food and Drug Administration’s fish consumption guidelines.

Maine Sea Grant