# Blue ling

The blue ling (Molva dypterygia) is a member of the cod family from the North Atlantic. It is usually 70 to 110 cm long, but the maximum length is 155 cm. Blue ling feed on fish (flatfishes, gobies, rocklings) and crustaceans and benthic invertebrates. The fish reaches sexual maturity at the age of six to 12 years.

## Description

The blue ling can grow up to 155 cm in length and is characterized by its shorter barbel, compared to that of the common ling (Molva molva), which does not exceed the diameter of the eye. A barbel is a sensory organ that helps the fish find its food, given limited light near the bottom of the water column. It is whisker like and helps the fish sense its environment. Though similar, the Blue Ling tends to be smaller than the common ling, which typically grows to 200 cm in length.
Templeman describes the blue ling in his 1967 paper stating that the pelvic fin ending anterior to the posterior end of the pectoral separates them from M. macrophthalma (Spanish ling). Within the species, relative sizes are shown to be different depending on the stock. For the western Atlantic blue ling, they have a relatively larger head (20.4–22.4 S.L), pretarsal (27.7–29.4 S.L), and preanal (45.2–48.8 S.L) length compared to blue ling from the eastern Atlantic. The number of first dorsal rays is (11–15) compared to that of M. macrophthalma (Spanish ling) (10–11 rarely 12) and than that of M. molva (common ling) (13–16). The number of second dorsal rays in the blue ling is (69–83) compared to that of M. macrophthalma (74–82) and than M. Molva (57–70). Anal ray count is 62–81 compared to the 70–79 of the Spanish ling and (55–67) of the common ling. Vertebral number is 72–79 in the blue ling compared to 62–67 in the common ling. Both the common and the blue ling have the same number of pectoral rays.

## Taxonomy

Historically, two names for the blue ling have been used. Walbaum (1792) references the fish as Molva byrkelange. Molva dipterygia has also been used in the literature (Svetovidov 1948, Taning 1958). Molva dypterygia is currently accepted according to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1964 after Fleming introduced the genus Molva for the Ling group of fishes.

## Distribution

The blue ling has been observed living next to the common ling in the water column at depths of up to 1000m, but typically between 600–1000m. The depths that have been reported varies, with a range between 220–485m in West Greenland and 236–550m range in Newfoundland area. Fish that occupy this depth range are considered mesopelagic (200–1000m).
In the 1960s, the blue ling was reportedly scarce but not rare in West Greenland and rare in areas south of Greenland. Since then, a report from the ICES and CIEM in 2024 defines the stock as distributed from the Barents Sea along the coast of Norway to the west of the British Isles, and around the Faroe Islands as well as off the coast of Greenland. The Blue ling is divided into three different stocks, the first including blue ling in Icelandic and Greenland waters (bli.27.5a14), the second in Celtic Seas, Faroe grounds, Rockall, Hatton banks and Mid-Atlantic Ridge (bli.27.5b6712), and the third in the Northeast Atlantic, North Sea, Skagerrak and Kattegat areas (bli.27.123a4), see figure. A stock of fish is defined as a collection of fish of a single species that is large enough to be self-producing and with little to no mixing or interbreeding with other populations. The separation of the blue ling into these stocks is supported by differences in length, growth, and maturity rates.
In 2020, new research found two different genetic groups between open water Atlantic and coastal Norwegian fjord groups after a genetic study. The study also suggests further splits between fjord groups due to isolation and genetic drift over generations, separating the eastern Norwegian subareas from the western areas (Atlantic basin).

## Life History & Biology

The blue ling is mainly a piscivorous predator, though crustaceans and cephalopods are also consumed. They live to be 20–30 years old, though determining age is difficult due to methods involving embedding and cutting thin otolith slices to count growth rings. Male blue ling tend to live up to 3 years less with an average lifespan of about 17 years.
Sexual maturity is thought to be 6–12 years old, with females growing larger than males. During the first years before maturity, both male and female fish are similar in size.
Spawning for this fish occur between the months of April and May at depths of 500 to 1000m. They typically spawn from West Scotland to Norway. In the Mediterranean, they spawn in shallower waters (500–600 meters).

## Status & Management

Blue ling are commercially fished in the North-Eastern Atlantic, which has decreased their populations through the 1990s in all described stock. In the 1950s and 60s, Norway landed 1000–2000 tons per year, with seasonal fisheries targeting spawning aggregations from the 70s to 90s. Since then, regulations have been implemented to prevent further population depletion.
Fisheries are restricted to coastal state exclusive economic zones, and hence, management measures are not taken by NEAFC. In 2009, the European Union designated protection for spawning habitat on the edge of the Scottish continental shelf and at the edge of Rosemary bank for three months during the spawning season. In Norwegian waters, blue ling are allowed as bycatch only (10%), which has had the same effect as closed areas regulation given avoidance of spawning habitat by fisheries. There is no Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for blue ling in Norwegian waters and TAC is set every other year in the EU and UK.
There is no species specific management for the Faroese fleets, though efforts to limit fishing have been made through the use of licensing and with a minimum landing size of 60 cm in size. Fleets specifically targeting ling are allocated a total allowable number of fishing days to be used in the demersal area, with a recommended minimum landing size of 60 cm. No enforcement is in place due to the discard ban in this area. In 2020, an agreement between Norway and the Faroe Islands permitted 2500 tons of ling as bycatch in bottom fishery in Faroese waters. Quotas of blue ling (and other species) for EU vessels fishing in Faroese waters in 2020 was 1855 tons.
The ICES advised that catches should be no more than 4157 tons per year for 2020 and 2021. Continued exploitation of the blue ling is mostly influenced by regulation that is aimed at other species like cod or haddock.