Welcome to Sea-Ex - Australian Fish and Seafood Photographs and Information

Beche De Mer
(Sea Cucumber)

Fish & Other Seafood

Angling, Boating, Fishing Info, Sailing, Diving, Boat Charters, Fishing Guides, Marinas etc. CLICK HERE

Also known as Pink Ling and Pink Cusk-eel.

Ling have long tapered bodies with small scales.  Their bodies are covered with a thick mucus.  Their upper jaw extends only a short distance beyond the eye and the gill openings are on each side of the body behind the head.  The 2 rayed ventral fins are positioned on the chin and the dorsal, caudal and anal fins form a continuous fin.   The overall body colour is pinkish to orange with irregular brown bands on its upper two-thirds.

Pink Ling inhabit the south-west Pacific waters of New Zealand and temperate Australia.   They are also recorded from South America.  In Australia they are present in continental shelf and slope waters from Crowdy Head in New South Wales to Albany in Western Australia.

Pink Ling are demersal and inhabit a depth range of 20 to 800 metres, being mainly found in waters between 300m to 500m.

Pink ling are found on a variety of substrates from rocky ground to soft sand and mud, in which they burrow.

Pink Ling are an important commercial fishery, with catches being taken all year round by demersal otter trawlers.  Droplining and bottom set longlining are also methods used to catch Pink Ling.  

They have a high market value and are mainly marketed locally as fresh and chilled whole fish.  They are also smoked.

In New Zealand pink ling skins are occasionally tanned for leather.

[Main Australian Fish & Seafood Page]