Burbot
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| Burbot | ||||||||||||||
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| Lota lota Linné, 1758 |
The Burbot (Lota lota) is a fresh-water fish (Pisces, Teleostei) related to the cods. It is also known as the lawyer, and eel-pout, and closely related to the ling and the tusk. It is most common in streams and lakes of North America and Europe above 40°N latitude.
In Britain, the Burbot is possibly an extinct fish as it is believed that there have been no documented catches of the species since the 1970s [1] (http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/item.php?news=246). If the Burbot does still survive in the UK, the counties of Cambridgeshire and Yorkshire (particularly the River Derwent or River Ouse) seem to be the strongest candidates for areas in which the species might yet continue to survive [2] (http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-perl/whatson/prog_parse.cgi?FILENAME=20050313/20050313_1330_49700_46694_30). There have been plans to re-introduce this freshwater member of the cod family back into British waters but these have yet to come to fruition.
References
- Practical Fishkeeping article (http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/item.php?news=246)
- BBC Radio Programme - 13th March 2005 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-perl/whatson/prog_parse.cgi?FILENAME=20050313/20050313_1330_49700_46694_30)