Historically, anglerfish have not been commonly eaten in Britain. Although two species live in British waters – one of which, the white anglerfish (Lophius piscatorius, sometimes called monkfish), is found all around our coastline – they are deep-water creatures with an appearance that often prompts disgust.
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What do anglerfish look like?
Anglerfish are adapted to life on the ocean floor. With flattened bodies, giving them a squashed appearance that looks as though they have been compressed by the water pressure, they are typically found at depths of between 50m and 1,000m, so are rarely encountered by humans.
They’re mottled in dark browns and blacks for camouflage against the seabed, and in the low light of ocean depths they’re all but invisible. Only the first three spines of the dorsal fin, detached from the rest of that fin, break the disguised form.
The most pronounced front spine, called the illicium, is the most distinctive characteristic of anglerfish – a species in the order Lophiiformes. This is the angler’s fishing rod: a long, thin appendage tipped with a blob known as the esca.
On some species, particularly those in the very deep sea, the esca is filled with bioluminescent bacteria that produce light, acting as a lure for other fish on which it preys.
The esca on Lophius piscatorius is not very pronounced, but its waving movement is believed to attract prey in a similar way.
The illicium also has a secondary purpose – acting as a trigger. When it’s brushed by potential prey, it provokes a reflex response: the anglerfish snaffles the unfortunate fish with its huge mouth, the jaw hinged to open upwards and engulf its food.
How large are anglerfish?
A typical adult white anglerfish weighs around 10kg or more, with specimens approaching 60kg recorded. A specimen weighing 68lb 2oz (30kg) was caught from the shore in Essex in 1967.
Individuals can reach 2m in length, though most adults measure between 50cm and 80cm when mature, with females typically larger than males. Females can live for at least 25 years, with males being a little less long-lived, reaching 21 years.
What do anglerfish eat?
Juvenile anglerfish eat mostly crustaceans, squid, octopus and cuttlefish; adults consume fish, lobster and even seabirds.
What's the difference between female and male anglerfish?
The larger females become sexually mature at 8–14 years old. Males develop much more quickly, being sexually mature by the age of six. Fertilisation is external; many hundreds of thousands of buoyant eggs may be released in gelatinous sheets, drifting off once fertilised, with the larvae and juvenile fish left to fend for themselves after hatching.
This difference in characteristics between male and female fish is known as sexual dimorphism – and it’s far more extreme in some other species of anglerfish, particularly those in the suborder Ceratioidei. In those, the male is tiny – much smaller than the female.
He bites into the belly of a larger female and their bodies fuse, their circulatory systems merging. In some species displaying what’s known as obligate parasitism, the male then transforms into a permanent sperm-producing organ of the female. She produces between 300,000 and 2.8 million eggs in each spawning; they are fertilised by the male as they emerge and hatch after about 21 days.
What's the difference between monkfish and anglerfish?
In most species, the head seems to form most of the fish’s length, with a body that may appear no more than a vestigial appendage. However, though that might suggest little culinary potential, the tail yields firm white flesh that, when cooked, has a delicately sweet flavour and a texture similar to lobster or scallops.
Commonly described on menus as monkfish, these tails are much sought-after, though they’re often caught by fisheries targeting other species. The UK is one of the principal sources of monkfish, with exports valued at over £39m in 2024, according to Seafish, a body supporting the UK seafood sector.
The Marine Stewardship Council rates monkfish (both Lophius piscatorius and the closely related Lophius budegassa, or blackbellied angler) caught in the North Sea, waters west of Scotland and the Bay of Biscay as ‘Good’ or ‘Best Choice’ in terms of sustainability; check product labels for information about sources and fishing methods. Future monitoring of stocks will be critical in maintaining viable populations.
Where are anglerfish found?
Lophius piscatorius is found throughout the Mediterranean and as far north as Iceland and Norway. Populations are well distributed across its range, and the species is currently classed as of ‘Least Concern’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
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