The Mull of Galloway coast supports a fantastic variety of fish and holds many of the British and Scottish angling records. Here is some information on some of the most commonly caught.

Cod

Found all around the coast of Britain from the shoreline down to depths of 600m. They can grow to 120cm in length, weighing around123 kg, however larger fish have been recorded.

Bass

tending to occur inshore on rocky reefs usually down to a depth of 10m. Bass are warm water species and migrate north in the summer months. They can reach 1m in length, although 60cm is usual.

Flatfish

The inner Solway is a nursery area for plaice, flounder, sole and dab. All of which are common throughout Dumfries and Galloway. In addition turbot and brill are occasionally caught.

Pollock and coalfish (saithe)

Similar in shape and colour and are found from the shore down to 25m depth. Both species can grow to over 1m, but an average size is around 50cm for pollock and 70-80cm for coalfish.

Wrasse

Both the ballan and cuckoo wrasse can be found on rocky coasts between 5 and 50m in depth. The male cuckoo

wrasse is one of the most colourful British fish. Ballan tend to be larger (up to 50cm), however 30cm is more usual for both species.

Dogfish

Both the lesser spotted (rough hound) and greater spotted (bull huss) dogfish are found in the Solway. Bull huss are the larger of the species (up to 160cm) compared to rough hounds which tend to reach 70cm.

Tope

These small, common fast swimming sharks can grow up to two metres. They hunt in shallow inshore waters all around Britain. They are frequently caught in Luce Bay and off the Galloway coast.

Other fish

Mackerel, haddock, gurnards (tub, grey and red), rays (thornback, spotted and blonde), conger eels, eels, garfish and smooth hounds are also species caught off the Dumfries and Galloway coast.