Lingcod and greenlings
Lingcod and the closely related greenlings are a group of fish commonly found along the coast of the Pacific Northwest. These fish are in the greenling family, Hexagrammidae, which is exclusive to the North Pacific Ocean.
Greenlings and lingcod are neither lings (a type of fish from the North Atlantic Ocean related to cod) nor are they cod. They are more closely related to sablefish and sculpins.
All four of the species covered in this article are excellent eating fish. The lingcod is commonly targeted commercially, whereas the greenlings are regularly fished by recreational fishermen.
Species
Lingcod
Lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus)
Greenlings
Kelp greenling (Hexagrammos decagrammus)
Rock greenling (Hexagrammos lagocephalus)
Whitespotted greenling (Hexagrammos stelleri)
Lingcod
Lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus) are sizable fish that are targeted by commercial fishermen along the West Coast. They are most abundant off of British Columbia but can be found from Alaska down to Baja California. Most lingcod is caught in Canada or by Canadian fishing boats. Until the 1990s, American fishing boats caught similar amounts, but landings have declined since then. Lingcod were declared overfished in 1999 by the federal government. Stocks were only considered sustainable and rebuilt in 2005.
The largest specimens are found in the north of their range. Lingcod can live up to 35 years and reach sizes up to 70 lbs and 5 feet in length. In Oregon, they more commonly measure from 2 to 3 ft in length.
Lingcod live in waters up to 1,000 ft deep. Most, however, are found between 30 and 300 ft in rocky habitats. Younger lingcod are found closer inshore in sandy or muddy habitat.
A predator species, lingcod feed mostly on other fish, but also eat crustaceans, octopus, and squid. They are aggressive feeders and will eat almost any fish they can get a hold of.
Lingcod can sometimes have blue or blue-green flesh. The color turns white when cooked, but about 20% of lingcods have the blue color. The color comes from a pigment called biliverdin. The reason why some fish have it is not known at this time, but the pigment is harmless. Other fish such as rock greenlings and cabezon also display this characteristic.
Lingcod is a very good eating fish with firm white meat with medium flakes, somewhat similar to rockfish.
Greenlings
Greenlings are colorful small fish in the Hexagrammos genus. The genus includes a total of six species, of which three are found in our waters: the kelp greenling, the rock greenling, and the whitespotted greenling. Greenlings are carnivores that feed on a variety of prey including other fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and worms.
Greenlings are not targeted commercially in the Pacific Northwest. The fish live along rocky coastal areas and in shallow inshore waters, so are difficult for large boats to target. They are, on the other hand, popular with recreational fishermen and are considered a good eating fish.
Kelp greenling: Hexagrammos decagrammus, the kelp greenling, ranges from the western side of Alaska to the southern end of California. They’re rare in the southern portion of their range but common further north where they are found in kelp beds and sand bottoms up to 150 ft deep at most.
The kelp greenling is the most common greenling in Oregon. Of the three greenlings species we have, the kelp greenling is the only that is targeted commercially, but in very minor amounts. They are more commonly caught by recreational fishermen. Because they are often caught by fishermen targeting other species, some recreational fishermen consider them to be pests, but they are good eating fish and should be valued as such.
Mature males and females differ in appearance. The males are gray to greenish-brown and have blue spots surrounded by small brown spots on the front of their bodies. Females are gray to brown with small red-brown to golden spots all over their bodies.
Rock greenling: Hexagrammos lagocephalus, the rock greenling, is a fish that reaches up to two pounds in size. Like the more common kelp greenlings, they live in rocky nearshore areas where it is difficult for commercial fishing operations to target them, and are more often targeted by recreational fishermen. Rock greenlings can be found from Alaska down to Central California, but are less common in the southern portion of their range.
Like some lingcods, rock greenlings have blue or blue-green flesh that turns white when cooked.
Mature males and females are visually different: adults are greenish-brown with dark markings, but males usually have red or orange on their bodies and females have light-colored spots.
Whitespotted greenling: Hexagrammos stelleri, the whitespotted greenling, is found in the North Pacific Ocean, from Puget Sound up to Alaska and back down to Japan. It is not commonly found in Oregon and California waters and is predominantly found in Alaska. Whitespotted greenlings, again, inhabit nearshore waters but can be found at greater depths than the kelp and rock greenlings, possibly up to 1,500 ft. Whitespotted greenlings can reach up 3.5 lbs in weight, but the Washington state record is less than 1 lb.
Whitespotted greenlings are brownish-green dark markings and white spots on their heads and backs.
