The Top Fourbeard Rockling (Enchelyopus cimbrius) is a slender, elongated fish found in the cold, temperate waters of the North Atlantic, particularly along the coasts of northern Europe and the eastern coast of North America. Recognizable by its four distinctive barbels under the chin, this species inhabits muddy or sandy seabeds at depths ranging from shallow coastal areas to several hundred meters. Commercial fishing for the Fourbeard Rockling is relatively limited compared to more popular species, but it is harvested as bycatch and occasionally targeted for local consumption or bait. The leading countries involved in the capture of Fourbeard Rockling are Norway, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Iceland, where it is typically landed by trawl or bottom-set nets. While not a major economic resource, it contributes modestly to the mixed-species fisheries in these nations, with its delicate flesh sometimes valued in regional cuisines or processed into fishmeal.
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Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.