Norwegian record Greater sand eel: 192 g

About Greater sand eel

The greater sand eel (Hyperoplus lanceolatus) is the largest sand eel in Norwegian waters. It is long, slim and silvery with a greenish or bluish back and a protruding lower jaw. Look for a dark mark on either side of the snout, just ahead of the eye. It lives over clean sand, often in shallow water down to about 30 m, and buries itself in the sand to rest or escape danger. It eats zooplankton and fish larvae and, when larger, small fish. Typical length is about 20 cm, with a maximum of around 40 cm. Unlike the lesser and Raitt's sand eels, it spawns in the warmer half of the year, roughly April to August. It occurs across the North Atlantic, including the Norwegian coast. Anglers use it widely as bait. Norwegian Red List 2021: Least Concern (LC).

Sources: Artsdatabanken, Store norske leksikon, Wikipedia

• Habitat: Saltvann
• Best month: Juli
• Red list status: LC (2021)

See the species guide

Biggest Greater 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.