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Fish, Crustaceans & Cephalopods

Beche De Mer
(Sea Cucumber)

Also known as Pink Ling and Pink Cusk-eel, Ling Kingclip

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.

Did you know?
In New Zealand pink ling skins are occasionally tanned for leather.

A lean fish with a bland flavor the flesh of the Ling Cod is often greenish in color but turns white when cooked. The meat is tender yet firm and a little chewy with large soft , moist flakes.

[Main Australian Fish & Seafood Page]

SIZE: whole 5-20 kg, fillet 0.5-2 kg

IDENTIFYING FEATURES: Orange-pink and brown above, with irregular markings, paler to white belly. A long rounded eel-like body with barbel-like pelvic fins originating below centre of eye.

COMPARISONS: Superficially similar but unrelated to the European ling. Ling are eel-like in form and related to codfishes. Unlike eels, they have long gill openings and finger-like pelvic fins on their chin.

FILLETS: Long rather slender shape, densely textured. The flesh is very white and firm and holds its shape well in cooking.

HABITAT: Widespread and common in 20-700 meters around the southern North Island.

CATCHING METHODS: Caught mainly by longliners.