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Wolffish are protected because some species have declined and remain vulnerable to fishing impacts, especially accidental capture as bycatch. But “protected” does not mean one identical rule for every wolffish: the species and the country determine its conservation status and what fishers must do.
Which wolffish are protected?
“Wolffish” is a common name for several species, so a rule or status for one should not be applied to all of them. U.S. federal fishery rules discussed here concern Atlantic wolffish (Anarhichas lupus). Canadian recovery planning covers Atlantic wolffish, northern wolffish (A. denticulatus) and spotted wolffish (A. minor).
In Canada, the categories reported in the 2020 recovery strategy and management plan are Atlantic wolffish as Special Concern, and northern and spotted wolffish as Threatened. The plan says these categories remained unchanged following COSEWIC’s 2012 reassessments. A 2025 federal progress report repeats those categories and identifies incidental catch as the main threat addressed by the plan; it is not itself a new COSEWIC reassessment. (Government of Canada, 2020 plan; 2025 progress report)
Why do conservation measures exist?
Atlantic wolffish declined historically
Canada’s 2012 COSEWIC assessment describes steep declines in Atlantic wolffish abundance and area of occupancy across much of its range from the 1980s to the mid-1990s. Some indicators later improved, but abundance remained low relative to the early 1980s, and declines continued on the Scotian Shelf and in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. The assessment describes these trends qualitatively; it does not support a single decline percentage for this article. (COSEWIC assessment summary)
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Accidental capture remains a concern
Wolffish can be caught unintentionally in fisheries targeting other species. Canadian recovery materials identify this bycatch as a central continuing threat. Reduced commercial fishing may have helped some Atlantic wolffish indicators recover, but that does not remove concern about incidental capture. The Canadian plan recommends live-release protocols and logbook reporting; implementation is at Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s discretion.
Habitat and life history may increase vulnerability
NOAA describes Atlantic wolffish as relatively sedentary and associated with complex rocky habitat. Males guard egg masses for months. These traits help explain why incidental mortality or disturbance of habitat can matter to conservation, but they do not by themselves establish a specific measured effect. (NOAA Fisheries, Atlantic Wolffish)
What does protection mean in the United States?
For Atlantic wolffish, NOAA describes protection through federal groundfish fishery management, not an established Endangered Species Act listing. The species is managed under the Northeast Multispecies Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. NOAA’s species page states: “Atlantic wolffish is a zero-possession species, meaning vessels holding a federal groundfish permit may not fish for, possess, or land Atlantic wolffish.” This is the practical rule for those federally permitted vessels; it should not be generalized into a claim that every wolffish species has the same rule everywhere. (NOAA Fisheries species page; Northeast Multispecies Management Plan)
NOAA’s page reports that a 2017 operational assessment found Atlantic wolffish overfished, while overfishing was not occurring. Those are dated stock-status findings, not a new 2026 estimate. Separately, NOAA published a 2009 status review after a 2008 petition. A petition or status review is not the same thing as a species being listed under the ESA. (NOAA’s 2009 status review)
What does protection mean in Canada?
Canada’s Species at Risk Act (SARA) categories differ among the three species. Atlantic wolffish is listed as Special Concern; northern and spotted wolffish are listed as Threatened. Those labels are not interchangeable. In particular, the Canadian legal-status chapter says SARA prohibitions do not apply to Atlantic wolffish at the Special Concern category. The management plan’s recommendations, including live-release protocols and logbook reporting, are distinct from those statutory prohibitions and are implemented at Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s discretion. (COSEWIC legal-status chapter, reproduced by Canada; Government of Canada, 2020 plan)
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How the rules compare
| Jurisdiction | Species | Status or management | Practical meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Atlantic wolffish | Managed under the Northeast Multispecies Groundfish Fishery Management Plan | Vessels with a federal groundfish permit may not fish for, possess or land it (NOAA Fisheries). |
| Canada | Atlantic wolffish | Special Concern under SARA, as reported in the 2020 plan and 2025 progress report | SARA prohibitions do not apply at this category; the plan recommends live release and logbook reporting, with implementation at Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s discretion. |
| Canada | Northern and spotted wolffish | Threatened under SARA, as reported in the 2020 plan and 2025 progress report | The category is higher than Atlantic wolffish’s Special Concern designation; do not assume Atlantic wolffish rules describe these species. |
What to remember
- Conservation measures respond to historical declines and continuing vulnerability, particularly to bycatch.
- The name “wolffish” covers multiple species; status and rules depend on the species and jurisdiction.
- U.S. Atlantic wolffish protections described here are federal groundfish fishery rules, including zero possession for federally permitted groundfish vessels.
- In Canada, Atlantic wolffish is Special Concern, while northern and spotted wolffish are Threatened; the categories have different legal consequences.
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