whitson's grenadier
Macrourus whitsoni
A grenadier of very deep Southern Ocean waters, with records from Argentina. It has commercial use and is of no interest to sport fishing.
Also called: granadeiro-de-Whitson, granadeiro, Whitson's grenadier
- maximum
- 84 cm
- record/max.
- 5.1 kg
- depth
- 600–1,500 m
who is the whitson's grenadier
A fish of the family Macrouridae, with an elongated body and short snout, living in Southern Ocean waters between 600 and 1,500 m deep, although it has been recorded down to 3,185 m. It reaches 84 cm and up to 5.1 kg. It occurs in a circumpolar belt, generally within the Antarctic Convergence, and also in the Falkland Islands region, with records from Argentina. Stomach samples contained remains of pelagic crustaceans such as euphausiids, polychaete worms and fish. It has commercial use but is of no interest to sport fishing.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the whitson's grenadier; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Elongated fish with a short, blunt snout, sometimes with small bumps at the tip, and large eyes. Most are dark brown, with lips and fins almost black, but some specimens are paler. The mouth is large and the lips are thin. In the same region, Macrourus carinatus is paler, from brown to straw-colored, and lives shallower, from 500 to 800 m.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In Latin America it is found in Argentina, in Southern Ocean waters.
Habitat: Very deep waters of the Southern Ocean, 600 to 1,500 m.
rules for the whitson's grenadier
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
The dorsal fin spines are not dangerous. Ascending from very deep water causes barotrauma, so release it carefully.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00204, b = 3.21; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Macrourus whitsoni (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Macrourus whitsoniNames by country and language.
