Catching / keeping burbot

[Sean9461]

first off im new on this forum. Hoping I can contribute a lot and hopefully get some help in return!

I currently keep a few native species salmon, rainbow trout etc.

I have a fascination with burbot. Mainly because they are a freshwater cod that I can keep in a freshwater system.

Problem is I cannot catch them here in the UK since it appears they have been extinct here for a long time.

I've been looking for ways to acquire them and the only place I have found selling fingerlings is in Austria and requires me to buy 2500 fingerlings in bulk for 5000 euro. Which is way to many for my needs.

I have looked into import rules and all I need to do is apply for a license to import the fish. And if I can get them from the EU then I don't need a health certificate as they are not prone to common diseases from what I can tell.

So I figured I could take a holiday in the car drive to anywhere in europe and go fishing to catch a few to bring back.

Problem is I cannot find any concrete details online of where to catch them in europe.

This is where the help comes in. If anyone lives in europe and knows where to catch these I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks in advance

 

[divemaster99]

Hey there, welcome to the forum. As a warning, Burbot are a coldwater fish usually associated with Winter fishing. At least over here in the US, it's almost impossible to catch them in the summer because they typically sulk motionless in the deepest parts of lakes for hours. Winter through the ice would be the best way to catch a few if it's an option as they're much more active and come relatively shallow.

 

[Sean9461]

In the UK we don't have frozen rivers but we have cold enough waters for them.

Fishing for them is less of an issue as finding where to fish them.

Unless any of you guys across the pond could do me a great service and let me pay you to fish them and ship them to me?



Would need you to get a health certificate for me to be able to import though

 

[Chub_by]

Dunno if you're still looking, but some German fish farms sell these in smaller quantities in autumn. If you want, I can keep an eye out online.

 

[Sean9461]

Dunno if you're still looking, but some German fish farms sell these in smaller quantities in autumn. If you want, I can keep an eye out online.

Sorry I have only just seen this. Yes I’m still looking if your still able to help. Do they deliver to U.K.?

 

[Sean9461]

Turns out after all this time I have found out that burbot are completely banned from the U.K. and it’s illegal for me to import them even for my own pond or aquarium use... I also wanted gambusia affinis burbot turned out those were banned too. The list of banned fish here is long...

 

[Duckman77]

Are snakeheads banned in the u.k.?

That's still my favorite aquarium fish hands down. Thankfully we will always have our bowfin.

Not to rub it in..but I had a burbot not too long ago and it was awesome. It jumped out of the tank when I bought a new tank but didn't install the plastic strip on the glass tops..1 night of negligence is all it took.