Our hopes and expectations

Here we are, one more day wrapped in this thick fog. It’s very windy and cold. The bizarre hauls follow one after another. Today we have fished mostly redfish and yellowtail flounder, and we had a haul with only sandeels.But we do not loose hope of finding that spot that eludes us so far.

Anyway, there is plenty to show and surprise you. For example, these lumpsuckers. They love cold water and they are targeted in local fisheries in Iceland and Greenland. Their roe is greatly appreciated. They do not become too large, females grow more than males but do not get larger than 50 cm. They never loose that expression of surprise and they feel like jelly to the touch. Pelvic fins form a rather powerful suction cup (hence their names) they use to attach themselves to the substrate. They eat zooplancton, small crustaceans and fish eggs. The female lies her eggs in a nest and the male takes care of them, just like Nemo’s dad. There are lots to say about these pretty fishes but we have to get going. 

Two Cyclopterus lumpus for Marina. Hey! What are we doing here?

A lumpsucker honoring its name. Iñaki provided the substratum

We also caught this longhorn sculpin. They like shallow waters and can change their appearance to mimic the substrate they lay on, sand or gravel. Longhorn sculpins are predators and eat other fish, crustaceans, gastropods, tunicates and bivalves, but they won’t say no if they come across some tasty carrion. They like to lie their eggs under sponges – remember what we said about the importance of sessile (non-mobile species) species with a tri-dimensional structure. 

Myoxocephalus octodecemspinosus, so much for a catchy name. Do not be barefooted around this fish.

Invertebrates have also been nicely represented with this bryozoan that Rai says is a Pentapora rosacea. Bryozoans are extremely beautiful animals, they are like filigree when looked at with the microscope. They are also very difficult to identify and very important as habitat forming species, as they are sessile and have a tridimensional structure. You can see an ophiura in the folds of this specimen, and Rai says it is rather common to find also small crabs.

Pentapora rosacea. A cosy place to hide

I’d continue but time is at a premium, especially during these countdown days. See you tomorrow...