List of fish encountered in Swedish waters; both fresh water (lakes and streams) and in the marine salt water.
The table denotes species native to Sweden, as well as those introduced from neighbouring countries and those that have only occurred occasionally. There are approximately 140 species which are native and common in Sweden, plus another 90 which are sporadic, not established or extinct.Kullander
The IUCN Red List is a set of criteria for fish population statuses. The following terminology is used: extinct, critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable, near threatened, least concern, disappeared, data deficient and not evaluated.
List
Aulopiformes The Aulopiformes, or grinners, are marine fish, most of which live in deep-sea waters in the Atlantic. Only sporadically encountered in Swedish waters, e.g. the Magnisudis atlantica has to date been found eight times, the first in 1960 and the last in 1978."Laxtobis" -- The Swedish Fish Database
FamilyScientific nameEnglish nameSwedish name Habitat Occurrence Red List status Paralepididae (barracudina) Arctozenus risso N/A Mindre laxtobis Marine Sporadic Not evaluated Paralepididae Magnisudis atlantica N/A Laxtobis Marine Sporadic Not evaluated
Acipenseriformes (sturgeon-like fish) The Acipenseriformes are an order of primitive ray-finned fishes that includes the sturgeons and paddlefishes. There have been occasional finds in Swedish waters. Some species, such as the beluga sturgeon are heavily desired for its roe, or caviar.
Some species of sturgeons are known to have populated Swedish waters in the 19th century along the coast lines of the Baltic Sea and in some inland streams. The population has now probably disappeared, and the Red List denotes it as disappeared (RE). Stuffed specimens are common in museums. Website of Kent Andersson, Göteborg, Sweden, 2002. Accessed in June 2006
FamilyScientific nameEnglish nameSwedish name Habitat Occurrence Red List status Acipenseridae Acipenser baerii Siberian sturgeon Sibirisk stör brackish water Introduced; not established Not evaluated Acipenseridae Acipenser gueldenstaedti Russian sturgeon Rysk stör brackish water Introduced; not established Not evaluated Acipenseridae Acipenser ruthenus Sterlet Sterlett Fresh water, brackish water Introduced, not established Not evaluated Acipenseridae Acipenser oxyrinchus N/A Stör Fresh, marine and brackish water Sporadic, previously native and common Disappeared (RE) Acipenseridae Huso huso Beluga sturgeon Beluga stör brackish water Introduced, not established Not evaluated
Anguilliformes (eel fish) The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) in Swedish waters has radically diminished in the latest decades, and is now listed as critically endangered. The population is estimated to have decreased to 1–10% of what it was in the 1970s. Eels are sensitive of environmental pollution, but the fishing of eel has also increased, especially in French waters. As eels migrate long distances, overfishing and pollution in one location may endanger the population and little is known of all possible causes for the diminishing population. "Europeisk ål"
The eel is a popular dish, especially in southern Sweden, and is economically of importance with catches of around 1,000 tonnes (1,200 in 1983). It is prepared by being smoked.
FamilyScientific nameEnglish nameSwedish name Habitat Occurrence Red List status Anguillidae Anguilla anguilla European eel Ål Fresh, marine and brackish water Native and common Critically endangered (CR) Congridae Conger conger European conger Havsål Marine Native and common Not evaluated Nemichthyidae Nemichthys scolopaceus Slender snipe eel Trådål Marine Sporadic Not evaluated
Carcharhiniformes (ground sharks) The order Carcharhiniformes, or ground sharks, are the largest order of sharks and include many well-known types such as the blue shark and the sandbar shark.
FamilyScientific nameEnglish nameSwedish name Habitat Occurrence Red List status Triakidae Galeorhinus galeus School shark Gråhaj Marine Native and common Vulnerable (VU) Triakidae Mustelus asterias Starry smooth-hound Nordlig hundhaj / Glatthaj Marine Sporadic Not evaluated Carcharhinidae Carcharhinus longimanus Oceanic whitetip shark Årfenhaj Marine Sporadic Not evaluated Carcharhinidae Prionace glauca Blue shark Blåhaj Marine Sporadic Not evaluated Pentanchidae Galeus melastomus Blackmouth catshark Hågäl Marine Sporadic Not evaluated Scyliorhinidae Scyliorhinus canicula Small-spotted catshark Småfläckig rödhaj Marine Native and common Data deficient (DD) Scyliorhinidae Scyliorhinus stellaris Nursehound Storfläckig rödhaj Marine Sporadic Not evaluated
Beryciformes The Beryciformes are an order of ray-finned fishes. They live solely in deep marine waters, usually in tropical areas, and are only sporadically seen in Nordic waters.
FamilyScientific nameEnglish nameSwedish name Habitat Occurrence Red List status Berycidae Beryx decadactylus Alfonsino Nordisk beryx Marine Sporadic Not evaluated
Beloniformes The Beloniformes are an order of "horned" fishes. The most notable species here is the garfish (Belone belone) which swims in large shoals during the summer along the coasts of south and west Sweden, and caught for food or sport. The catch during 1983 was 44 tonnes."Horngädda" -- From the Swedish Fish Database
FamilyScientific nameEnglish nameSwedish name Habitat Occurrence Red List status Belonidae Belone belone Garfish Näbbgädda / Horngädda Marine and brackish Native and common Not evaluated Scomberesocidae Scomberesox saurus Atlantic saury Makrillgädda Marine Sporadic Not evaluated
Batrachoidiformes The order Batrachoidiformes, or toadfish, are a type of ray-finned fish normally found on the sand and mud bottoms of coastal waters worldwide. The only example of a fish from this order caught in Swedish water was a specimen of Halobatrachus didactylus—a fish native to the coasts of Africa—caught by the shore of southern Sweden in 1820 (specimens preserved). "Paddfisk" -- Swedish Fish Database
FamilyScientific nameEnglish name Habitat Occurrence Red List status Batrachoididae Halobatrachus didactylus Lusitanian toadfish Marine Sporadic Not evaluated
Chimaeriformes (ghost sharks) The order Chimaeriformes is common in tropical waters. The only species found in Swedish water is the Chimaera monstrosa which is somewhat common in the westernmost waters of Sweden, the Skagerrak. This fish is unsuitable as a food fish, but its large liver is used to produce a lubricant. "Havsmus" -- Swedish Fish Database
FamilyScientific nameEnglish nameSwedish name Habitat Occurrence Red List status Chimaeridae Chimaera monstrosa Rabbit fish Havsmus Marine Native and common Vulnerable (VU)
Clupeiformes (herring-like fish) Clupeiformes is the order of ray-finned fish that includes the herring family, Clupeidae, and the anchovy family, Engraulidae.
The herring is common around the coasts of Sweden where it is often the most common fish—the population fluctuates yearly. The herring has been of historical importance for the Swedish economy and food since the Middle Ages. It is still the most economically important Swedish fish. The catch of herring in Swedish waters in 1996 was 132,153 tonnes, of which 74,293 tonnes became fish meal and 57,860 tonnes was sold to consumers. "Sill" -- Swedish Fish Database
The Swedes have two names for herring, sill or strömming, depending on where they have been caught, west or east of the island of Bornholm.
The herring is also an important part of the Swedish cuisine. It is served pickled both at Christmas and at Midsummer, and in northern Sweden the fermented herring, surströmming, is popular treat.
Shoals of anchovies are denoted as native and common, but the anchovy is primarily native to southern Europe, and the shoals in Nordic waters vary between years. As such, anchovy fishing is not reliable. "Ansjovis" -- From the Swedish Fish Database
A third economically important fish of this order is the European sprat (Sprattus sprattus). The catch in Swedish waters in 1996 was 168,582 tonnes. It is often flavoured and put in cans labeled as anchovy, which is incorrect from a zoological point of view, but fairly accurate in terms of usage. This pickled "anchovy" is a main ingredient of the Swedish traditional dish Janssons frestelse. "Skarpsill"
FamilyScientific nameEnglish nameSwedish name Habitat Occurrence Red List status Clupeidae (herrings) Alosa alosa Shad Majfisk Fresh, marine and brackish water Native and common Not available (NA) Clupeidae Alosa fallax Twait shad Staksill Fresh, marine and brackish water Native and common Not available (NA) Clupeidae Clupea harengus Atlantic herring Sill / strömming Marine, brackish water Native and common Not evaluated Clupeidae Sardina pilchardus European pilchard (true sardine) Sardin Marine Sporadic Not evaluated Clupeidae Sprattus sprattus European sprat Skarpsill / vassbuk Marine, brackish water Native and common Not evaluated Engraulididae (anchovies) Engraulis encrasicolus European anchovy Ansjovis Marine Native and common Not evaluated
Cypriniformes The order Cypriniformes consists of several families of carp-like fishes, the most important being the cyprinids—the carps and minnows.
The carp bream (Abramis brama), the largest of the breams, is of note in Swedish fresh waters. Once an important source of food (which is still the case in parts of Europe), it is today only of economic importance in Sweden's southern parts (Skåne, etc.). However it is still common in other waters in Sweden, where it is a popular game fish."Brax" From the Swedish Fish Database
FamilyScientific nameEnglish nameSwedish name Habitat Occurrence Red List status Cyprinidae (carps) Abramis ballerus Blue bream (zope) Faren Fresh water Native and common Least concern (LC) Cyprinidae Abramis bjoerkna White bream Björkna Fresh water Native and common Not evaluated Cyprinidae Abramis brama Carp bream Braxen Fresh and brackish water Native and common Not evaluated Cyprinidae Abramis vimba Vimba Vimma Fresh water Native and common Data deficient (DD) Cyprinidae Alburnus alburnus Bleak Löja / benlöja Fresh water Native and common Not evaluated Cyprinidae Aspius aspius Asp Asp Fresh water Native and common Vulnerable (VU) Cyprinidae Carassius carassius Crucian carp Ruda Fresh water Native and common Not evaluated Cyprinidae Ctenopharyngodon idella Grass carp or white amur Gräskarp Fresh water Introduced Not evaluated Cyprinidae Cyprinus carpio Common or European carp Karp Fresh water Introduced Not evaluated Cyprinidae Gobio gobio Gudgeon Sandkrypare Fresh water Native and common Least concern (LC) Cyprinidae Hypophthalmichthys molitrix Silver carp Silverkarp Fresh water Introduced Not evaluated Cyprinidae Hypophthalmichthys nobilis Bighead carp Marmorkarp Fresh water Introduced Not evaluated Cyprinidae Leucaspius delineatus N/A Groplöja Fresh water Native and common Near threatened (NT) Cyprinidae Leuciscus idus Ide or orfe Id Fresh and brackish water Native and common Not evaluated Cyprinidae Leuciscus leuciscus Common dace Stäm Fresh water Native and common Not evaluated Cyprinidae Pelecus cultratus N/A Skärkniv Fresh and brackish water Sporadic Not available (NA) Cyprinidae Phoxinus phoxinus Eurasian minnow Elrita Fresh and brackish water Native and common Not evaluated Cyprinidae Rutilus rutilus Roach Mört Fresh and brackish water Native and common Not evaluated Cyprinidae Scardinius erythrophthalmus Rudd Sarv Fresh and brackish water Native and common Not evaluated Cyprinidae Squalius cephalus Chub Färna Fresh water Native and common Least concern (LC) Cyprinidae Tinca tinca Tench Sutare Fresh and brackish water Native and common Not evaluated Cobitidae Cobitis taenia Spined loach Nissöga Fresh and brackish water Native and common Least concern (LC) Balitoridae Barbatula barbatula N/A Grönling Fresh water Native and common Least concern (LC)
Esociformes (pike fish)