Viviparous Eelpout
The viviparous eelpout is a bottom-dwelling coastal fish found along the Dutch North Sea coast and in the Wadden Sea. It rarely draws dedicated anglers but turns up regularly as bycatch in coastal and estuarine fishing.
Its unusual biology — giving birth to live young — makes it a curiosity worth knowing, and it serves as an important indicator of coastal ecosystem health in Dutch waters.
Scientific Name: Zoarces viviparus
Also known as puitaal, viviparous blenny, European eelpout
- Slender, tapering body with a broad head, wide mouth, and fleshy, protruding lips — looks superficially like a small eel but is a true bony fish.
- Long dorsal and anal fins run the length of the body and merge into a pointed, arrowhead-shaped tail fin; a shallow notch near the rear of the dorsal fin where the rays become short and spiny is a key ID feature.
- Skin is heavily mucus-coated and varies from grey-brown with darker blotches on the back to yellowish on the belly; bones are greenish due to a harmless natural pigment.
- Typically 25–35 cm in Dutch coastal waters; maximum recorded length is 52 cm and weight around 510 g.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Native to the Northeast Atlantic; present in the shallow coastal waters of the Netherlands, including the North Sea coast and the western Wadden Sea, where research has documented seasonal population dynamics.
- Lives in marine and brackish water from the intertidal zone down to about 40 m, but most commonly found between 2 and 20 m depth.
- Favours rocky shorelines, mussel beds, and areas with dense algae or seagrass; in the Wadden Sea it uses tidal flats and sheltered channels with soft or mixed substrates.
- At low tide on exposed shores it shelters under rocks or in crevices and can briefly breathe air — an adaptation that lets it persist in the intertidal zone.
Key Locations
- Western Wadden Sea — research has specifically documented eelpout populations here across seasons, making it the best-studied Dutch location for this species.
- Rocky coastal structures along the North Sea coast, including harbour walls and stone breakwaters at ports such as Den Helder and IJmuiden, provide typical habitat.
- Tidal inlets and estuarine channels of the Zeeuwse delta region offer brackish conditions the species tolerates well.
Specific Spots
- Rocky jetties, harbour walls, and stone revetments along the Dutch coast hold eelpout year-round — they tuck under loose stones and into gaps where crustaceans and small molluscs concentrate.
- Tidal channels and gullies in the Wadden Sea, particularly where current slows and organic material accumulates on the bottom, attract feeding fish.
- Beds of mussels or dense macroalgae provide both cover and a reliable food supply; fish hold tight to the substrate rather than roaming open water.
Viviparous Eelpout FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Viviparous Eelpout?
Ragworm and lugworm on a small hook fished hard on the bottom are the most reliable baits; eelpout feed by rooting through substrate and respond well to natural scent.
When is the best time to fish for Viviparous Eelpout?
Present year-round in Dutch coastal waters; no strong seasonal absence, though research in the Wadden Sea shows population numbers vary between spring and autumn. Late summer and autumn coincide with the mating period, when fish are most active near the substrate and females begin carrying young.
How do you catch Viviparous Eelpout?
Eelpout are rarely targeted deliberately in the Netherlands but are a regular bycatch for anglers fishing natural bait on the bottom from harbour walls, rocky jetties, and tidal channels. Shore fishing with ragworm or mussel on a simple bottom rig, worked slowly along structure, is the most likely way to encounter one.
What do Viviparous Eelpout eat?
Feeds mainly on small crustaceans (shrimps, amphipods, isopods), snails, and bivalves found on and around the bottom, small jig heads tipped with worm or shrimp imitations fished slowly along the substrate match this feeding style well.
Where do Viviparous Eelpout live?
Native to the Northeast Atlantic; present in the shallow coastal waters of the Netherlands, including the North Sea coast and the western Wadden Sea, where research has documented seasonal population dynamics.
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