Guidance

Common Species Codes and Names for Fish Landed in the UK

Updated 27 August 2026

The tables below list common species that UK fishing vessels may catch and land, grouped by related species.

This guidance is intended to help masters, owners and merchants submitting returns, such as catch records, logbooks and sales notes, use the correct species codes.

For each species the tables include:

• the species’ English name
• common alternative names for the species
• the species’ three-letter FAO Alpha code, which should be used when recording the species on statutory returns, including landing records and sales notes
• common misused codes for the species
• the Latin (scientific) name
• whether the species may be considered a conservation species and subject to additional requirements in specific sea areas, such as prohibitions on retention or landing

Species that are prohibited from being retained or landed in all waters, such as porbeagle sharks or bigeye thresher sharks, are not included in the tables below.

Species must be recorded using species-specific codes rather than general group codes.

For example, common octopus and horned octopus are often recorded under the FAO code OCT. However, OCT is a general code that covers numerous octopus species. Species-specific codes must be used when recording individual species. For example, common octopus should be recorded using the FAO code OCC, while horned octopus should be recorded using the FAO code EOI.

These tables are not comprehensive lists of all species. A full list of codes is available on the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) website.

Where those submitting returns are unable to distinguish between related species, they should use the code for the species most commonly caught in UK waters. Where catches are taken outside UK waters, they should use the code for the species most commonly caught in the area where the catch was taken.

For example, both angler (MON) and blackbellied angler (ANK), commonly referred to as monkfish, can be caught in UK waters. These species can be difficult to distinguish from one another. As angler (MON) is the species most commonly caught in UK waters, catches should be recorded as MON where species identification is uncertain.

Registered Buyers and Sellers (RBS) can also access a list of species codes through the Electronic Reporting System (ERS) when entering sales information.

Vessel masters and owners should be aware that some species may be subject to additional conservation measures in specific International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) areas. These measures go beyond those covered in general legislation, such as the TACs and Quotas Regulations 2020 or the Technical Conservation Measures Regulations 2019. The tables below indicate where this is the case.

It is the responsibility of vessel masters and owners to ensure they are aware of any additional catch restrictions that may apply to species caught during a fishing operation. These may include prohibitions on retaining and landing certain species in specified areas, as well as specific reporting, handling or storage requirements.

Contact your local Marine Management Organisation office if you require further assistance.

1. Section 1: Cephalopods

1.1 Cuttlefish

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Elegant Cuttlefish		EJE	CTL	Sepia elegans	Yes
Common Cuttlefish	Common Cuttlefish	CTC	CTL	Sepia officinalis	Yes
Pink Cuttlefish		IAR	CTL	Sepia orbignyana

1.2 Octopuses

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Horned Octopus	Curled Octopus	EOI	OCT, OCC, OCZ	Eledone cirrosa	Yes
Common Octopus		OCC	OCT, OCZ	Octopus vulgaris	Yes

1.3 Squid

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
European Common Squid	Common Squid	OUL	SCC, SQU, SQZ	Alloteuthis subulata	Yes
Northern Shortfin Squid		SQI	SQF, SCC, SQU, SQZ	Illex illecebrosus	No
Veined Squid	Northern Squid	SQF	SQI, SCC, SQU, SQZ	Loligo forbesii	Yes
European Squid	Common Squid	SQR	SQE, SCC, SQU, SQZ	Loligo vulgaris	Yes
European Flying Squid	Hard Squid	SQE	SQR, SCC, SQU, SQZ	Todarodes sagittatus	No

• Species identification (ID) cards

2. Section 2: Demersal Species

2.1 Blackscabbard

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Blackscabbard Fish		BSF		Aphanopus carbo	Yes

2.2 Bream

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Zebra Seabream		SBZ	SGB, BRB	Diplodus cervinus	No
Gilthead Seabream	Gilthead Bream	SBG	BRB, SBA, SBR	Sparus aurata	No
Black Seabream	Black Bream	BRB	SGB, SBA, SBR	Spondyliosoma cantharus	No

2.3 Gadoids (Cod, Haddock, Pollock, Hake etc.)

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Atlantic Cod	Cod	COD		Gadus morhua	Yes
Haddock		HAD		Melanogrammus aeglefinus	Yes
Whiting		WHG		Merlangius merlangus	No
European Hake	Hake	HKE	HKP	Merluccius merluccius	Yes
Blue Whiting	Poutassou	WHB		Micromesistius poutassou	No
Pollack		POL		Pollachius pollachius	Yes
Saithe	Pollock	POK		Pollachius virens	Yes
Ling	Common Ling	LIN	BLI, LNZ	Molva molva	No
Roundnose Grenadier		RNG		Coryphaenoides rupestris	Yes
Greater Forkbeard		GFB		Phycis blennoides	No
Pouting	Bib Pout	BIB		Trisopterus luscus	Yes

2.4 Eels

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
European Eel	Common Eel	ELE		Anguilla anguilla	Yes
European Conger	Conger Eel	COE	COX, ELE	Conger conger	No
Lesser Sand-eel	Raitts Sand eel	QLH	SAN	Ammodytes marinus	No
Small Sandeel	Small Sand eel	ABZ	SAN	Ammodytes tobianus	No

2.5 Flatfish

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Common Sole	Dover Sole	SOL	SOS, LEM	Solea solea	Yes
Sand Sole		SOS	LEM, SOL	Solea lascaris	Yes
Lemon Sole	Lemon Dab Lemon Fish	LEM	SOL, SOS	Microstomus kitt	Yes
European Flounder	Flounder	FLE	PLE	Platichthys flesus	Yes
European Plaice	Plaice	PLE	FLE	Pleuronectes platessa	Yes
Common Dab	Dab	DAB		Limanda limanda	Yes
Four-Spot Megrim		LDB	WIT, MEG, LEZ	Lepidorhombus boscii	Yes
Megrim	Megrim Sole	MEG	WIT, LDB, LEZ	Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis	Yes
Witch Flounder	Witch	WIT	MEG	Glyptocephalus cynoglossus	Yes
Turbot	European Turbot	TUR		Psetta maxima	Yes
Atlantic Halibut	Halibut	HAL		Hippoglossus hippoglossus	Yes
Greenland Halibut	Black Halibut	GHL		Reinhardtius hippoglossoides	No
Brill	Bastard Turbot	BLL		Scophthalmus rhombus	Yes

2.6 Gurnard

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Red Gurnard		GUR	GUY, GUX, GUU, GUG	Aspitrigla cuculus	Yes
Streaked Gurnard	Rock Gurnard	CTZ	GUY, GUX	Chelidonichthys lastoviza	No
Tub Gurnard	Yellow Gurnard Tubfish Sapphirine Gurnard	GUU	GUY, GUX, GUG, GUR	Chelidonichthys lucerna	Yes
Grey Gurnard		GUG	GUY, GUX, GUU, GUR	Eutrigla gurnardus	Yes

• Species identification (ID) cards

2.7 John Dory

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
John Dory		JOD		Zeus faber	Yes

2.8 Monkfish/Anglerfish

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Blackbellied Angler	Monkfish	ANK	ANF, MON, MNZ	Lophius budegassa	Yes
Angler	Monk	MON	ANF, ANK, MNZ	Lophius piscatorius	Yes

2.9 Mullet

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Thicklip Grey Mullet	Grey Mullet, Mullet	MLR	MUL	Chelon labrosus	No
Thinlip Grey Mullet	Grey Mullet, Thinlip Mullet	MGC	MUL	Liza ramada	No
Golden Grey Mullet	Long-Finned Grey Mullet	MGA	MUL	Chelon auratus	No
Red Mullet		MUT	MUR, MUL	Mullus barbatus	Yes
Surmullet	Striped Red Mullet	MUR	MUL	Mullus surmuletus	Yes
Mullets Nei		MUL		Mugilidae	No

2.10 Rabbit Fish

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Rabbit Fish	Ratfish	CMO		Chimaera monstrosa	No

2.11 Weeverfish

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Greater Weever		WEG	WEX, TRA	Trachinus draco	No

2.12 Wolffish

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Atlantic Wolffish	Wolffish Sea Wolf Catfish Sea Cat	CAA	CAT, CAX	Anarhichas lupus	No

2.13 Wrasse

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Ballan Wrasse	Wrasse	USB		Labrus bergylta	No
Cuckoo Wrasse		USI		Labrus bimaculatus	No

3. Section 3: Pelagic Species

3.1 Anchovy

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
European Anchovy	Anchovy	ANE		Engraulis encrasicolus	No

3.2 Bass

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
European Seabass	Sea Bass, Bass	BSS		Dicentrarchus labrax	Yes

3.3 Herring

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Atlantic Herring	Herring	HER		Clupea harengus	No

3.4 Mackerel

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Atlantic Mackerel	Mackerel	MAC	JAX, HOM	Scomber scombrus	No
Atlantic Horse Mackerel	Horse Mackerel Scad	HOM	JAX, MAC	Trachurus trachurus	No
Jack And Horse Mackerels nei	Horse Mackerel Scad	JAX	HOM, MAC	Trachurus spp	No

3.5 Pilchard/Sardines

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
European Pilchard	Sardine Pilchard	PIL		Sardina pilchardus	No

3.6 Smelt

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
European Smelt	Smelt	SME		Osmerus eperlanus	No

3.7 Sprats

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
European Sprat	Sprat	SPR		Sprattus sprattus	No

3.8 Tuna

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Atlantic Bonito	Bonito	BON		Sarda sarda	No
Albacore	Longfine Tuna	ALB		Thunnus alalunga	No
Yellowfin Tuna	Yellowfin	YFT		Thunnus albacares	No
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna	Bluefin Tuna	BFT		Thunnus thynnus	Yes

4. Section 4: Shellfish

Bivalves

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Common Edible Cockle	Common Cockle / Cockle	COC		Cerastoderma edule	No
Pacific Cupped Oyster	Pacific Oyster Rock Oyster	OYG	OYF	Crassostrea gigas	No
Blue Mussel	Common Mussel	MUS		Mytilus edulis	No
European Flat Oyster	Native Oyster	OYF	OYG	Ostrea edulis	No
Manila Clam	Asian Clam Asiatic Clam Golden Clam Pygmy Clam Prosperity Clam	CMM	CLX, CLH	Corbicula manilensis	No
Sword Razor Shell	Common Razor Clam	EQE	RAZ	Ensis ensis	No
Arched Razor Shell	Bent Razor Clam	EQK	RAZ	Ensis magnus =(Ensis Arcuatus)	No
Pod Razor	Razor Fish Razor Clam Giant Razor	EQI	RAZ	Ensis siliqua	No
Northern Quahog	Hard-Shell Clam Quahog (Or Quahaug) American Hard-Shelled Clam Northern Quahog	CLH	CLX, CMM	Mercenaria mercenaria	No
Queen Scallop	Queenies	QSC	SCE	Aequipecten opercularis	No
Great Atlantic Scallop	King Scallop	SCE		Pecten maximus	Yes

4.1 Crab

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Edible Crab	Brown Crab	CRE		Cancer pagurus	Yes
Green Crab	Shore Crab Common Shore Crab	CRG	CRE	Carcinus maenas	No
Common Spider Crab	Spiny Spider Crab Spinous Spider Crab European Spider Crab Cornish King Crab	JDV	SCR	Maja brachydactyla	Yes
Velvet Swimcrab	Velvet Crab	LIO		Necora puber	Yes
Stone King Crab	King Crab	KCT	JDV, KCX	Lithodes maja	Yes
Atlantic Lyre Crab	Great Spider Crab	MVD	SCR, JDV	Hyas araneus	Yes

4.2 Gastropods

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Whelk	Common Whelk Waved Whelk Buckie	WHE		Buccinum undatum	Yes
Common Periwinkle	Winkle	PEE		Littorina littorea	No

4.3 Lobster/Crawfish

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Craylets, Squat Lobsters	Common Squat Lobster	LOQ	SLO, CRW, LBE	Galatheidae	No
European Lobster	Common Lobster, Lobster	LBE		Homarus gammarus	Yes
Norway Lobster	Langoustine Scampi Dublin Bay Prawn Norway Lobster	NEP	CPR	Nephrops norvegicus	No
Common Spiny Lobster	Crawfish	SLO	CRW, LBE	Palinurus elephas	Yes

4.4 Prawn

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Common Prawn	Prawn	CPR	PRA	Palaemon serratus	Yes
Northern Prawn	Coldwater Prawn	PRA	CPR	Pandalus borealis	No

4.5 Shrimp

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Common shrimp	Brown Shrimp	CSH	AES	Crangon crangon	Yes
Aesop shrimp	Pink Shrimp	AES	CSH	Pandalus montagui	No

5. Section 5: Sharks

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
Common Thresher	Thresher Shark Fox Shark	ALV	THR, BTH, SKH	Alopias vulpinus	Yes
Tope shark		GAG		Galeorhinus galeus	Yes
Starry smooth-hound	Smooth-Hound	SDS	SMD, SYC, SYX, SCL, SKH, DGX, DGH, DGS	Mustelus asterias	Yes
Smooth-hound (not caught in UK waters)	Common Smooth-Hound Smooth Dogfish	SMD	SYC, SYX, SCL, SKH, DGX, DGH, DHS	Mustelus mustelus	Yes
Blue shark		BSH		Prionace glauca	Yes
Small-spotted catshark	sandy dogfish, lesser-spotted dogfish, rough-hound, morgay	SYC	SMD, SYX, SCL, SKH, DGX, DGH, DGS	Scyliorhinus canicula	Yes
Nursehound	Bull Huss, Large Spotted Dogfish	SYT	SYC, SYX, SCL, SKH, DGX, DGH, DGS	Scyliorhinus stellaris	Yes
Picked dogfish	Spurdog Spiny Dogfish	DGS	SYC, SYX, SCL, SKH, DGX, DGH	Squalus acanthias	Yes

• Shark Trust Identification Guides (Sharks)
• Species identification (ID) cards

6. Section 6: Skates and Rays

English Name	Common Name/s	FAO Code	Incorrect FAO code	Latin Name	May be subject to additional conservation measures
White Skate		RJA		Raja alba	Yes
Blue Skate	Common Skate	RJB		Raja batis	No
Blonde Ray		RJH		Raja brachyura	No
Sandy Ray		RJI		Raja circularis	No
Thornback Ray	Roker/ Skate	RJC		Raja clavata	No
Shagreen Ray	Fuller’s ray	RJF		Raja fullonica	No
Arctic Skate	Blackbelly Skate	RJG		Raja hyperborea	No
Small-Eyed Ray		RJE		Raja microocellata	No
Spotted Ray		RJM		Raja montagui	No
Cuckoo Ray		RJN		Raja naevus	No
Longnosed Skate		RJO		Raja oxyrinchus	No
Starry Ray		RJR		Raja radiata	Yes
Raja Rays Nei		SKA		Raja spp	No
Undulate Ray		RJU		Raja undulata	Yes

Shark Trust Identification Guides (Skates and Rays)