Burbot

Description

Appearance

• These unusual-looking fish have a slim, brownish black body with smooth skin and a flattened head.
• Distinctive barbels, whisker-like filaments of tissue, hang from the lower jaw and nostrils, and provide a sense of touch and smell.
• A fin stretches along the back half of the body.

Distribution

• Also known as freshwater cod or ling, burbot are found in lakes and streams throughout most of Alberta.

Natural History

Habitat

• Burbot prefer cooler water and are found near lake bottoms.

Food

• Burbot eat small fish, aquatic insects and even small rodents.

Reproduction and Growth

Breeding Behaviour

• Burbot spawn under the ice in the winter and early spring, and are extremely productive.
• Large females lay up to one million eggs.

Conservation and Management

Status

Classified as Secure in the current General Status of Alberta Wild Species report. See:

• General Status of Alberta Wild Species

Current management

Fishing

Burbot are cool-water game fish subject to current Alberta sportfishing regulations. For details, see the My Wild Alberta website at:

• Fishing