Norwegian record Lesser sand eel: 33 g

About Lesser sand eel

The lesser sand eel (Ammodytes tobianus) is a small, slim, silvery sand eel with a pointed snout and a protruding lower jaw. It is very hard to tell apart from Raitt's sand eel, but it is a little smaller, usually 11–15 cm and up to about 20 cm. It lives in the North Atlantic from Murmansk to Spain, including the Norwegian coast. It favours clean sand, often close to shore and in shallower water than its relative. At night and for much of the winter it stays buried in the sand, while by day it swims in large shoals, hunting zooplankton, fish eggs and fish larvae. The eggs are laid in the sand and stick to the grains. Spawning time may vary between populations. Sand eels are vital food for seabirds, seals and many fish. Anglers use lesser sand eels widely as bait. Norwegian Red List 2021: Least Concern (LC).

Sources: Artsdatabanken, Store norske leksikon, Havforskningsinstituttet

• Habitat: Saltvann
• Best month: Juli

See the species guide

Biggest Lesser sand eel in FishComp

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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.