Landings Data PDF version Goosefish by Anne Richards Goosefish, also called monkfish or angler, Lophius americanus , range from the Grand Banks and northern Gulf of St. Lawrence south to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
Seasonal migrations occur and appear to be related to spawning and food availability.
The goosefish has been described as mostly mouth with a tail attached, and reports of goosefish eating prey almost as big as themselves are common. Males have not been found older than age 9, with few older than age 6. Sexual maturity occurs between ages 3 and 4. Data to definitively distinguish separate stock units of goosefish are unavailable. The species came under management in federal waters in January 2000 through the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan, developed by the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils.