Pink Cusk Eel

Body pinkish yellow, marbled with irregular reddish brown blotches dorsally (Ref. 27363).

Oceanodromous. Migrating within oceans typically between spawning and different feeding areas, as tunas do. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 141 - 164; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 101 - 126; Vertebrae: 68 - 70

Found on the continental shelf and slope (Ref. 75154).

Common species (Ref. 34024). Found between depths of 22 m (Ref. 58489) and 1000 m (Ref. 33848). Feed mainly on crustaceans such as Munida and scampi and also on fish. Also caught above the bottom when feeding on hoki (Macruronus novaezelandiae) during the hoki spawning season. Available all year round. Juveniles are found in shallower shelf waters (Ref. 6390). Oviparous, with oval pelagic eggs floating in a gelatinous mass (Ref. 205). Utilized fresh, frozen or smoked; can be fried and baked (Ref. 9988, 34024).

fisheries: highly commercial; price category: medium; price reliability: reliable: based on ex-vessel price for this species