Houting

Identification

The North Sea houting (Coregonus oxyrinchus) is a salmonid with a slender, silvery body. The snout is notably pointed and slightly downturned. The scales are large and loosely attached. Adults reach 30-50 cm. The adipose fin (characteristic of salmonids) is clearly present. The species is distinguished from other whitefish by its higher number of gill rakers.

Ecology

The North Sea houting is anadromous: adults live in coastal and estuarine waters of the North Sea and migrate upstream in autumn to spawn. Spawning occurs in December on gravel and sandy beds in the lower reaches of rivers. The diet consists of small crustaceans, insect larvae and plankton.

In the Netherlands

The North Sea houting was an endemic species of the North Sea estuarine area that went extinct in the 1940s due to overfishing, water pollution and the closure of estuaries. Since 1999, a reintroduction programme has been running using fish from the Danish Vida population, the closest surviving relative. The species is strictly protected under Annexes II and IV of the Habitats Directive. The Lauwersmeer, IJsselmeer and Wadden Sea are key areas for the reintroduction.