Conger conger - Conger Eel

Taxonomy

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Anguilliformes

Family: Congridae

Congers are very common off the rugged coasts of Britain. They feed on just about anything that moves, and they are renowned for their fighting power when hooked on rod and line.

Conger eels can grow to well over 100lb (50kg) in deep water, reaching a length of more than 2.5m; such big congers are usually caught while fishing from boats rather than the shore.

Beware the fearsome teeth and ferocious grip of the conger eel!

The dorsal fin of a conger begins quite near to the head, and its lower jaw protrudes; these two features help distinguish small conger eels from common eels.

Congers are slow in maturing, usually taking about 15 years before they are ready to breed; then, rather like the eels that we find in inland waters, congers migrate great distances before spawning in very deep water - typically 3000 to 4000m (over 10,000ft). They die after spawning.