Norwegian record Rabbit fish: 2.95 kg

About Rabbit fish

The rabbit fish (Chimaera monstrosa) is a cartilaginous fish, a chimaera distantly related to sharks. It has a large, blunt head with big eyes and rabbit-like tooth plates, and a body that tapers into a long, whip-like tail. The skin is smooth and brownish with pale marbling, and the broad pectoral fins make it look as if it is flying. A venomous spine at the leading edge of the first dorsal fin can cause painful stings, so handle it with care. It reaches about 1.5 m including the tail and around 2.5 kg. It is found along the entire Norwegian coast, usually over soft bottoms at 300–500 m, though it may move shallower in summer. It feeds on crustaceans, worms, snails and bivalves, and the female lays large, elongated egg cases. Deep-water bottom anglers in the fjords catch it now and then. Norwegian Red List 2021: Least Concern (LC); IUCN: Vulnerable (VU).

Sources: Artsdatabanken, Store norske leksikon, Wikipedia

• Habitat: Saltvann
• Best month: Januar

See the species guide

Biggest Rabbit fish in FishComp

1.79 kg (61 % of the record) by Simen Vikdal. See the catch

How to register a Norwegian record

1. Norwegian sport-fishing records are registered with Villmarksliv, not with FishComp. Read the rules before you do anything else with the fish.
2. Records are based on weight and approved by a jury. You give the weight and length, where it was caught, the gear you used and any witnesses.
3. Keep your photos and notes from the catch. Logging it in FishComp does not register a record.