The pouting is a deep bodied member of the cod family with three dorsal fins and two anal fins which all overlap at the base. The start of the front anal fin is well forward, below the middle of the first dorsal.
The poor cod is a mini-species from the cod family with three dorsal fins and two anal fins. The base of the first anal fin starts beneath the space between the first and second dorsal fins and the upper jaw overlaps the lower.
The pollack has the typical cod family shape with 3 dorsal fins and two anal fins. The lower jaw protrudes further than the upper one and has no barbel.
The thin-lipped mullet has the typical mullet body shape and scales. The pectoral fin does not reach the eye when folded backwards. The upper lip is less than half of the diameter of the eye in depth.
The torpedo shaped body of the thick-lipped mullet is covered with large scales. The anterior of the two dorsal fins has four spines. The upper lip is broad and more than half of the diameter of the eye in depth.
The golden grey mullet is the smallest of the three mullets found in Northern European waters. It has the typical mullet body shape and the pectoral fin, when folded forwards covers the back half of the eye.
The mackerel is one of the most readily recognised sea fish in the North Atlantic due to it being a popular bait fish as well as a target species for anglers.
The ling is a long bodied fish with one short anterior dorsal fin, 14 to 15 rays and one long fin towards the tail. It has a single chin barbel and the lower jaw does not project.
The herring is a narrow bodied fish with large, easily detached scales on the body. It has a prominent lower jaw and the dorsal fin starts in front of the pelvic fins.
The haddock is a member of the cod family with three dorsal fins, the first of which is triangular and two anal fins. The lower jaw is shorter than the upper and the barbel is short.