HomeMarine aquarium fishOther marine fishWhiting Whiting (Merlangius merlangus) Scientific name: Merlangius merlangus Linnaeus, 1758 The Whiting (Merlangius merlangus) is a marine fish of the family Gadidae. BiologyMore commonly found from 30 to 100 m, mainly on mud and gravel bottoms, but also on sand and rock. Feed on shrimps, crabs, mollusks, small fish, polychaetes and cephalopods. Migrate to the open sea only after the first year of life. Eggs are pelagic. Larvae and juveniles are associated with jellyfish. Upon maturity, small chin barbel characteristic of juveniles disappear. Spawn in batches. Utilized fresh, dried or salted, smoked and frozen; eaten steamed, broiled and baked.Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific nameMerlangius merlangusFamilyGadidae (Cods and haddocks)OrderGadiformes (Cods)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length70.0Common length23.5Depth range10–200 m (33–656 ft)EnvironmentMarine; benthopelagic; oceanodromous; depth range 10 - 200 m, usually 30 - 100 mClimateTemperateDistributionNortheast Atlantic: southeastern Barents Sea and Iceland to Portugal, also in the Black Sea, Aegean Sea, Adriatic Sea and adjacent areas. Rare in the northwestern Mediterranean.Conservation status (IUCN)Not EvaluatedThreat to humansHarmlessUsesFisheries: highly commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariumsResilienceMedium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (rm=1.1-1.6(?); K=0.1-0.16; tm=2-4; tmax=20; Fec=100,000) More other marine fishOyster toadfishOpsanus tauShortnose batfishOgcocephalus nasutusRed brotulaBrosmophycis marginataLongnose killifishFundulus similisCardinal soldierfishPlectrypops retrospinisTube-snoutAulorhynchus flavidusSee all other marine fish SourcesTaxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.Last updated 27 September 2026