Coalfish
Pollachius virens
Sighting evidence at St David's Head, Wales (Pembrokeshire)
Large shoals of coalfish circle St David's Head in open water above the reef, their dark backs and silver-white lateral lines creating a dizzying school display in the upwellings around the headland. They are opportunistic predators that exploit the tidal races to ambush sand eels and sprats, and their hovering, circling behaviour in the current makes them one of the most dynamic schooling fish encounters in Welsh waters. Juveniles are frequently found sheltering among kelp fronds at shallower depths.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Coalfish is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.