Burbot

At a glance

Burbot (Lota lota) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species regulated in 18 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.

The strictest bag limit is 1 (British Columbia); the most generous is 50 (Pennsylvania).

Confirmed by 673 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Ontario, Alberta, and Minnesota the top jurisdictions by observation count.

Notable details

• The only freshwater member of the cod family — essentially a true freshwater cod.
• Spawns under ice in midwinter, one of the few fish to breed in near-freezing water.
• Can grow to 3 feet (90 cm) long and weigh over 20 pounds.
• Has a single fleshy barbel on its chin, just like its ocean-dwelling cod relatives.
• Its liver is exceptionally rich in vitamins A and D, long prized by Indigenous peoples.

Where Burbot are seen

• Ontario174 iNat obs
• Alberta98 iNat obs
• Minnesota70 iNat obs
• Michigan53 iNat obs
• Quebec40 iNat obs
• Wisconsin38 iNat obs

Jurisdictions with rules for Burbot

• AlaskaUnited States · official source
• AlbertaCanada · official source
• British ColumbiaCanada · official source
• Federal Waters (DFO)Canada · official source
• IdahoUnited States · official source
• MichiganUnited States · official source

Background

The burbot (Lota lota) is the only gadiform (cod-like) freshwater fish. It is also known as bubbot, mariah, freshwater ling, the lawyer, coney-fish, lingcod, freshwater cusk, and eelpout. The species is closely related to the marine common ling and the cusk. It is the only member of the genus Lota. For some time of the year, the burbot lives under ice, and they require frigid temperatures to…

Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Burbot article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.

Other bony fish on CatchRules

• BluegillLepomis macrochirus
• Brown TroutSalmo trutta
• Brook TroutSalvelinus fontinalis
• Atlantic Sergeant MajorAbudefduf saxatilis