Although the English Channel is on the smaller side compared to its neighbours, the diversity of creatures that call it home is not to be underestimated. At just a little over one-tenth of the size of the North Sea, you’d probably expect it to have very little sea life going on. But that couldn’t be more wrong!
In fact, there’s a surprisingly large number of fish and other marine life living in this small stretch of sea. So which fish species live in the sea sandwiched between the northern coast of France and southern England? Let’s dive in and find out…
What is the English Channel? Quick Fire Facts
The English Channel is the name given by the English to the stretch of water that separates England and France. In France, the water is called Le Manche, meaning The Sleeve.
While the English Channel isn’t a vast body of water, at just 51 miles at its widest point, stretching down from Lyme Bay on the southern coast of England to Saint-Malo Bay on the northern coast of France.
Today, the Channel is mainly used for trade and travel between the UK and mainland Europe, but throughout history, it has been an immensely important extension of the UK’s borders, acting as the first line of defence against would-be invaders.
Are there animals in the English Channel?
The English Channel is bustling with life throughout it, from marine mammals like seals to fish, like European seabass.
Despite the Channel’s relatively recent formation in oceanological terms, the English Channel has been a hub of life because of its shallow waters, nutrient-rich currents, and its function as a transitional zone between different marine environments.
The fact that this offshoot of the Atlantic means that there are no endemic species in the English Channel; every animal found there can be found somewhere else in the world.
Types of Fish in the English Channel
The shallow water of the English Channel is home to thousands of fish species and other sea creatures. Below, we’ll show you some of the main species living in this area sandwiched between England and France.
Seabass
We’re most likely to see the European seabass species flapping around in the channel waters during the warmer months since they head to deeper waters further south in the winter.
Although they’re quite plain-looking, you can identify them pretty easily from their large silver scales and their two fins. You might even be able to spot the sharp spiny rays in the front fin if you get a close enough look! They usually travel in schools when they’re younger, so if you see one, you’ll usually get to see a few.
European seabass can live up to 25 years, taking several years to reach full maturity in their lifecycles. Seabass are also extremely important for the food chain in coastal waters. They mostly feed on shrimp, molluscs, squid and other small fish.
Monkfish
Monkfish aren’t exactly the prettiest to look at. But as the saying goes, you should never judge a book by its cover! You might be surprised to know that monkfish are actually super rare around the world. In fact, the English Channel is one of very few areas they’ll live in.
Supposedly, they got their name because fishermen used to throw them back into the sea until they started giving the fish away to monks. Not only is it now a super popular seafood, but it’s also sometimes referred to as the poor man’s lobster!
Monkfish have such unique features and characteristics that it’s almost impossible to mistake them for a different type of fish. However, they usually stick to the sea floor and rarely come up to the surface, so you’re not likely to see one in the wild unless you’re snorkelling or diving!
Red Gurnard
The red gurnard is a difficult one to miss. As the name suggests, they’re bright red in colour which is why they gained the nickname sea robins. Although they have many defining features, the main one is their individual spiny fin rays on each side of their body. These rays act as fingers, which help the red gurnard search for food along the seafloor.
Another fun and slightly unusual fact about these fish is that they’re incredibly vocal. They’re known to make a croaking sound very similar to that of a frog!
You’ll see the red gurnard in the shallow waters around the UK, including in the English Channel. They’re benthic fish, which just means that they prefer hanging around on the seabed.
Seahorse
Two species of seahorse live in the waters surrounding the UK and, in particular, in the English Channel. The spiny and short snouted seahorses both take up residence in shallow, inshore waters amongst the rocks, mud and seagrasses.
The differences between the two are relatively self-explanatory. The short snouted seahorse has a shorter snout than the spiny seahorse, which is why it’s sometimes referred to as the long snouted seahorse. But the best way to tell them apart is by the spines on the head and back of the spiny seahorse. The names tell you everything you need to know, basically!
The breeding pattern of seahorses is unique compared to other sea creatures. First of all, the males will compete for a female before the water temperature starts to heat up in early spring. Once a bond is formed, this is reinforced every single day by an elaborate courtship dance. The pair will then stay together throughout the breeding season (early April until October). The most unusual part is that the female passes her egg to the male, who then self-fertilises the egg, grows and hatches it and finally, gives birth. Immediately after birth, seahorses are completely independent. They’re very self-sufficient!
Cuckoo Wrasse
Cuckoo wrasse is a species that thrives in cold saltwater environments, which is why they’re often found around the UK’s coasts and in the North Atlantic Ocean. These colourful fish prefer to live in rockier areas and algal zones, and you can also find them in shallow waters.
Trying to spot one? Look out for their colourful markings which vary depending on the sex of the fish. Females are an orange-pink shade dotted with black and white spots across their backs, while males are covered by electric blues stripes which run along their heads and backs, coupled with their striking orange fins and bodies.
The most interesting fact about this species is that they’re known as protogynous hermaphrodites. This means that they can switch from female to male as and when needed.
Sharks
There’s often a lot of debate about whether or not sharks live in the English Channel. And the answer is yes, they do! Sharks exist in large numbers within the Solent, which is part of the Channel found between the mainland coast of Hampshire, England and the northwestern coast of the Isle of Wight.
So, which species are most common in these waters?
The bull huss shark and the smooth hound shark are some of the more common species found in these shallow and colder waters. At only around 1.5m in length, these two sharks are on the smaller side compared to some of their relatives. They also both prefer a diet of crustaceans because of their smaller size, so no need to fear these sharks!
Types of Invertebrates in the English Channel
Within the channel, there is also an enormous number of invertebrates living within the English Channel. Here are just a few of the animals you can hope to spot dotted across rockpools on the southern English coast.
Crabs
The diverse rocky and sheltered environments are found across areas like Devon, Cornwall, and Dorset coastal regions. The shallow rockpools on Britain’s beaches also provide an ideal place for young crabs to grow in relative safety away from predators.
Some examples of crabs that live in the English Channel are the brown crab (Cancer pagurus) and the spiny spider crab (Maja brachydactyla), and they’re easy to spot even on the shore if you keep your eyes peeled.
Lobsters
Another clawed animal you can find in the Channel is a lobster. The English Channel is home to two primary types of lobster: the European lobster (Homarus gammarus), which is a clawed lobster, and the European spiny lobster (Palinurus elephas).
Despite their somewhat fearsome appearance, they’re actually opportunistic predators, preying on small animals that are unlucky enough to cross their path, including crabs and snails.
Jellyfish
Jellyfish are some of the most misunderstood animals in the world’s waters. Despite possessing nematocysts that can cause a nasty sting, they’re undoubtedly beautiful, ethereal animals. They use their stings mainly to catch prey, but they’re also a brilliant defence mechanism if predators get too close.
If you keep a safe distance, you’re likely to see jellyfish off the coast of Cornwall, Devon, or Dorset, since they prefer the shallow warm waters found near land during the summer. Long-distance swimmers report a healthy population of stinging compass jellyfish (Chrysaora hysoscella) found within the English Channel, particularly during warmer months.
Starfish
Starfish are also found throughout the waters of the channel and often wash up into rock pools along the English coastline. Common starfish (Asterias rubens) and
spiny starfish (Marthasterias glacialis) are abundant throughout the Channel, feeding on the mussels, clams, and oysters.
You might be wondering how starfish manage to catch and eat prey. They actually do this during a fascinating process of literally extending their stomachs out of their body to swallow prey whole, using thousands of small tube feet on the underside of their arms to ensure the prey doesn’t have a chance to escape.
Types of Mammals in the English Channel
It’s not just fish and crustaceans that call the English Channel home; there are also plenty of aquatic and semi-aquatic mammals that reside there.
Grey seal
While they’re far more common along the Eastern coast, with the largest colony in Northumbria, there are still seals that make their home along the Southern coast. These large semi-aquatic mammals are excellent swimmers, which they use to hunt and socialise, but spend up to 50% of their time on land.
Dolphin
Known for their acrobatic performances, using their agile bodies to leap out of the water, dolphins are a common size of the South coast of England, particularly at distances of a mile or more from the shore.
Minke Whale
Measuring up to 5.5 metres, the minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) is an absolute behemoth of the English Channel. The acutorostrata in their scientific name means “sharply pointed”, referring to their pointed snouts.
If you fancy diving deeper into the sea creatures living closer to home in UK waters, why not book your tickets to Blue Reef Aquarium? Our aquarium houses several species that can be found in the English Channel, including the common stingray (Dasyatis Pastinaca), bull huss (Scyliorhinus stellaris), and spiny starfish (Marthasterias glacialis).
Or you can leave the shores of the English Channel and move out into the wider ocean to discover the most unusual fish across the world!