Haddock

Haddock, Melanogrammus aeglefinus, is a saltwater ray-finned fish of the cod family Gadidae and the only species in its genus, first formally described by Linnaeus in 1758. It lives in the North Atlantic and adjoining seas, from the Bay of Biscay north to Spitsbergen in the northeast Atlantic and from western Greenland to Cape Hatteras off North America, and is recognizable by a distinctive black lateral line and an oval black mark between the lateral line and pectoral fin, sometimes called the Devil's thumbprint, above a body shading from dark grey brown to nearly black on top and dull silvery white below. It is an important fisheries species, especially in northern Europe, sold fresh, frozen and smoked, including as Finnan haddie and the Arbroath smokie, and it is among Britain's most popular fish for fish and chips; the species is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN.