Huge shoals of Saithe, Pollachius virens, used to be a regular sight in the North Sea. Nowadays however, just small groups and individuals are seen thanks to the fishing policies of the EU. A member of the cod family, coalfish can grow to about 20kg but there is little chance of that happening now due to over-exploitation. Known by a large number of other localised names such as coalfish, coley, billet, blackjack and glassen.

Huge shoals of Saithe, Pollachius virens, used to be a regular sight in the North Sea. Nowadays however, just small groups and individuals are seen thanks to the fishing policies of the EU. A member of the cod family, coalfish can grow to about 20kg but there is little chance of that happening now due to over-exploitation. Known by a large number of other localised names such as coalfish, coley, billet, blackjack and glassen.