Head to head
Blue Whiting vs Whiting
Blue Whiting
VS Whiting
The blue whiting and the whiting share a name and a family, but they are different species of different depths and different value on the plate.
| Blue Whiting | Whiting | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Micromesistius poutassou | Merlangius merlangus |
| Relationship | A fellow member of the cod family with three dorsal fins and no chin barbel | A fellow member of the cod family with three dorsal fins and no chin barbel |
| Appearance | Large eyes, a dark blue to blue-grey back, silvery sides, and a very slender body | A slender body, sandy to olive-brown above and silvery-white below, with a small dark spot at the base of each pectoral fin |
| Habitat | Open water over the continental slope, usually at depths between 100 and 600 m | Sandy and muddy bottoms in shallower waters, from Iceland and Norway to the Iberian coast |
| Behaviour | Gathers in vast shoals and makes a long migration to spawn west of the British Isles | Hunts in shoals over sand and mud, and young fish often shelter among the tentacles of large jellyfish |
| Diet | Krill, small crustaceans, small fish, and squid taken from the water column | Shrimps, crabs, and worms when young, and small fish as it grows |
| Human use | Mostly caught in large numbers for fishmeal and oil rather than for direct human food | A popular food fish across Europe, often sold fresh |
| Conservation status | Least Concern, though its numbers fluctuate widely and the fishery is managed with quotas | Least Concern, though some stocks have declined and fishing is managed with quotas |
Blue Whiting vs Whiting: common questions
Are blue whiting and whiting the same fish?
No, they are different species in the cod family, with the blue whiting living in deeper water and having larger eyes and a bluer back.
Which one is mostly turned into fishmeal?
The blue whiting, which is caught in large numbers for fishmeal and oil rather than for direct human food.
Which one shelters with jellyfish?
Young whiting often shelter among the tentacles of large jellyfish, which gives them some protection from predators.