Common Ling
Encyclopedia
The common ling or simply the ling, Molva molva, is a large member of the cod
family. An ocean fish whose habitat is in the Atlantic region and can be found around Iceland
, Faroe Islands
, British Isles
, the Norse
coast and occasionally around Newfoundland
, the ling has a long slender body that can reach 2 metres in length; in adulthood, it is generally a deep-running fish, spending much of its life at depths of 100 m or more; younger fish are found at shallower depths.
The ling is edible; its flesh is prized and can be considered interchangeable with cod
in either its fresh, salted or dried forms. The salted roe
of the ling is considered a delicacy in Spain
and is known as huevas de maruca. The lutefisk
– ling that is first dried, then soaked in water and then steeped in a lye of soda and slaked lime – is a traditional dish at the Swedish Christmas table.
along the coastal shelves and in the Sea of the Hebrides
, the latter where the species is abundant.
Cod
Cod is the common name for genus Gadus, belonging to the family Gadidae, and is also used in the common name for various other fishes. Cod is a popular food with a mild flavor, low fat content and a dense, flaky white flesh. Cod livers are processed to make cod liver oil, an important source of...
family. An ocean fish whose habitat is in the Atlantic region and can be found around Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
, British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
, the Norse
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
coast and occasionally around Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, the ling has a long slender body that can reach 2 metres in length; in adulthood, it is generally a deep-running fish, spending much of its life at depths of 100 m or more; younger fish are found at shallower depths.
The ling is edible; its flesh is prized and can be considered interchangeable with cod
Cod
Cod is the common name for genus Gadus, belonging to the family Gadidae, and is also used in the common name for various other fishes. Cod is a popular food with a mild flavor, low fat content and a dense, flaky white flesh. Cod livers are processed to make cod liver oil, an important source of...
in either its fresh, salted or dried forms. The salted roe
Roe
Roe or hard roe is the fully ripe internal egg masses in the ovaries, or the released external egg masses of fish and certain marine animals, such as shrimp, scallop and sea urchins...
of the ling is considered a delicacy in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and is known as huevas de maruca. The lutefisk
Lutefisk
Lutefisk or Lutfisk is a traditional dish of the Nordic countries and parts of the Midwest United States. It is made from aged stockfish or dried/salted whitefish and lye . It is gelatinous in texture, and has an extremely strong, pungent odor...
– ling that is first dried, then soaked in water and then steeped in a lye of soda and slaked lime – is a traditional dish at the Swedish Christmas table.
Details of distribution
Specific seas of occurrence include the Norwegian SeaNorwegian Sea
The Norwegian Sea is a marginal sea in the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of Norway. It is located between the North Sea and the Greenland Sea and adjoins the North Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Barents Sea to the northeast. In the southwest, it is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a...
along the coastal shelves and in the Sea of the Hebrides
Sea of the Hebrides
The Sea of the Hebrides is a portion of the North Atlantic Ocean, located off the coast of western Scotland, separating the mainland and the northern Inner Hebrides islands from the southern Outer Hebrides islands...
, the latter where the species is abundant.