Content on this page requires a newer version of Adobe Flash Player.

Get Adobe Flash player
 

  • Nederlands
  • Deutsch
Search in the Encyclopedia

Dieren en planten

Fish   Eel family   Eel   Conger   Fish biology   Fish communities   Reproduction of fish   Fish diseases   Marine fauna   Sea fish   
  • Dut: Congeraal (Kommeraal, Longer, Zee-aal, Zeepaling)
  • Lat: Conger conger
  • Eng: Conger
  • Ger: Meeraal
  • Fren: Congre
  • Dan: Havil
print print
Conger, Ecomare

Conger

The conger is found along the coasts of the northern Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. They are found in the summer in small numbers along the Dutch coast and in the Wadden Sea. They can reach 3 meters in length and live on rocky sea bottoms to a depth of 100 meters. The fish spawn in the summer between the Azores and Gibraltar at a depth of 3 to 4 kilometres! Congers feed on benthic fish, crustaceans and cuttlefish.

  • Maturity

    Young conger can grow very rapidly (five-year old conger in captivity weighed forty kilograms) and are sexually mature between five and fifteen years. Females produce 320 eggs per gram body weight. The larva stage lasts one to two years. During this time, the transparent larvea (leptocephali) live in all water layers except just above the sea floor. The sea currents can carry them over large distances. Young congers live in shallow water along the coast while the adults prefer deeper water. In contrast to eel, congers never live in fresh water.

  • Catch reports of large conger since March 1995
    Date Place of catch Length and weight Ship
    March 1995 Sandettie Bank 2.5 meter, 45 kilogram ARM 7
    March 1996 50 mile NW Den Helder 2.8 meter, 35 kilogram HD 38
    spring 1997 Scharrebank 2.1 meter, 48 kilogram GO 56
    May 1997 Wellbank 2.1 meter, 35 kilogram GO 48
    8-12-1997 50 mile east of Brixham 2.5 meter BM 361
    1998
    		 alive on the beach of Ameland
    January 1999 English Channel unknown Z 35
    January 1999 The English Channel unknown Z 35
    16-1-1999 washed ashore dead, Walcheren
    		 1.5 meter, 10 kilogram
    November 1999 unknown 2.1 meter, 38 kilogram UK 95
    17-1-2003 washed ashore dying, Texel 1.65 meters, 20 kilogram


    Congers are not commercially interesting. But they are popular among sport fishermen and divers with harpoons because they are large and can defend themselves bravely.

  • Distribution of conger
    Distribution of congers, Ecomare