Ling (Geypterus blacodes) is a member of the cusk eel family. It is coloured orange-pink and brown above, with irregular, pale, bar-like markings and blotches.
Ling is a bottom dweller, living at depths of 300-700 metres, and is usually taken by bottom longlines or bottom trawls.
Ling are mainly caught around the bottom of the South Island and over the Campbell Rise.
Ling Fishery
New Zealand’s ling fishery is managed by strict quotas, which allow only a set amount of ling to be taken commercially each year. This Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC) was set at 22,226 metric tonnes for the 2009/10 fishing year.
Ling Exports
Total exports of ling in the year ended December 2008 were worth $NZ 42 million.
Spain and Hong Kong are our main markets for ling and accounts for almost 60% of the total ling export. Another important market is Australia.
Ling Meat Quality
Ling is a versatile, firm-fleshed fish that can be cooked in practically every way or can be served raw as sashimi. It has large, moist bone-free fillets that are ideal for pureeing and making into mousselines or terrines.
