Ling Molva molva
Ling (Molva molva) is a large, elongated member of the cod family, favouring rocky ground, wrecks, and rough seabed in deeper offshore waters. It is a popular target for boat anglers working the offshore marks of the southern North Sea, and specimens are regularly caught from wrecks and reefs off the Suffolk coast. Ling are slow-growing and long-lived, making them vulnerable to overfishing, and large individuals – once common – are now comparatively scarce. Wrecks scattered across the seabed off the Suffolk coast provide important habitat refuges for this species and support both recreational angling and associated biodiversity. Image: © Guido Schmitz, iNaturalist.
Find out more: iNaturalist, Marine Life Information Centre
Suffolk’s Priority Marine Life Species
Key
Listed as a conservation priority in Suffolk’s Biodiversity Action Plan.
Closely associated with Suffolk’s landscape and natural identity.
Identified as a key priority for recovery under Suffolk’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
Has a Species of the Month article attached.
