Top Sea Lamprey Fishing Countries

The sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) is a jawless, eel-like parasitic fish native to the North Atlantic Ocean and some adjacent seas, known for its distinctive round, sucker-like mouth filled with sharp teeth. Historically, sea lamprey has been both a delicacy and a pest: prized as food in parts of Europe, but notorious as an invasive species in the North American Great Lakes, where it devastated native fish populations. The primary countries with established sea lamprey fisheries are Portugal, Spain, and France, where lamprey is considered a traditional delicacy, especially in dishes like "lampreia à bordalesa." These countries harvest lamprey from their coastal rivers during the fish’s spring spawning migration. Commercial fishing for sea lamprey is limited, as the species is less valued elsewhere and often targeted for control rather than harvest, especially in North America, where significant resources are devoted to eradicating it rather than exploiting it as a fishery resource.

Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.