The ocean has a way of making even the most experienced angler feel small and of making an angler feel insignificant when facing the vast ocean. The moment an angler feels something heavy on their line that seems to want to pull the angler’s drag as if it was nothing, the angler dont want to feel confusion about which fish they have hooked. Dory fish have this effect on people, for when they encounter a dory fish in the market they can appear unassuming, for dory fish have flat bodies with a silvery sheen, yet when the angler understands how many different species of fish use the name “dory” they begin to understand why every variety of dory fish tastes different and where each variety can be found in the ocean.
The term dory is often loosely used by commercial fisheries and in the kitchens of those who prepare fish for dinner. Most commonly, an angler or cook may think of the dory fish as a species with mild flavor and white flesh that can be prepared in a variety of ways for dinner; the fish can be prepared for fish and chips, or for delicate pan frying. However, the reality of the dory fish is more nuanced and complex than most cooks and anglers is aware.
Several different species of dory fish, each of which come from separate families, have earned the name dory over the centuries. Yet each species has its own habits, its own habitat, and its own special way to appeal to the anglers hook. Knowing the differences between each of these species will allow an angler to make better decisions at the bait shop and at the fish market.
The list below of the different types of dory fish is presented in the order in which anglers are most likely to encounter them.
Common Types Of Dory Fish To Know
1. John Dory
John Dory is the most common of the dory fish species and thus earns its spot on most lists of dory species. The fish features a round black spot on its side.
Sailors have often claimed for centuries that this spot is the thumbprint of Saint Peter. However, the reputation of the John Dory comes from the delicate flesh of the John Dory and the sweet flavor of its flesh, which tastes almost of shellfish. The John Dory species can be found in temperate waters from the Eastern Atlantic to the Mediterranean, as well as in New Zealand and Australia.
These species prefer to live in depths of between 50 and 150 meters. Consequently, anglers almost never encounter this species when they fish. Commercial trawlers fish the John Dory in abundance, who bring the fish to the market to be sold to restaurants.
The high price of the John Dory at seafood markets is due to both the limited supply from the deep sea habitats, as well as the remarkble texture of the flesh of the John Dory. If an angler encounters John Dory that has just come from the ocean in the market, they should purchase the fish immediately. Few fish have the same rewards for patience and restraint in the kitchen as does the John Dory.
2. Mirror Dory
The mirror dory species lives in the same waters as the John Dory, yet its appearance is noticeably different. Its body is more compressed with a mirror like sheen to its scales that earns it its name. While the John Dory is often seen hunting alone on the seafloor, the mirror dory lives in schools in slightly shallower waters.
Consequently, anglers encounter mirror dory fish more in New Zealand and southern Australia. The flesh of the mirror dory is firmer than the John Dory. Yet both fish have the same mild flavor.
Chefs prefer the mirror dory to the John Dory if the dish requires the mirror dory’s fillet to maintain its shape during cooking. Consequently, when anglers encounter the mirror dory the availability of this species is limited to areas around the southern oceans of Australia. Consequently, if an angler is to travel to these locations, the mirror dory is the fish species that they should seek out.
3. Buckler Dory
The buckler dory is the least famous of the dory fish species. The buckler dory has smaller bodies than other dory species yet features sharper spines along its dorsal fin. The buckler dory ranges from Norway in the North Atlantic to the coast of Africa.
The scientific name of this species hints at its appearance. While many anglers target this species in the area where its dorsal fin spines are exposed to rocky outcroppings, the buckler dory is of modest size. Yet the flavor of its flesh is more pronounced than either the John Dory or the mirror dory.
Consequently, many cooks and chefs in Europe prepare it in soups and stews. The average size of a buckler dory means that there is more bone to remove from the fish. However, this additional preparation effort ensures that the preparation of the buckler dory will develop into a rich soup stock.
Consequently, the buckler dory is the species that an aspiring cook should keep in mind when preparing seafood dishes that are memorable for diners.
4. Silver Dory
Silver dory species live in the same general areas of the southern oceans. Silver dory species are found off the coast of Australia, specifically in the area of southeast Australia and Tasmania.
Like other dory species, silver dorid species have thin, translucent bones in their flesh fillets. When hooked the silver dory species does not perform dramatic runs in the water. Instead, it leans to one side with its laterally flattened body which presents resistance when anglers harvest it.
Its flesh is flakier than other dory species. When seared the silver dory species develops a golden crust to its flesh. The sustainability of silver dory fisheries is among the best for dory species, which is why it is important to continue to value the silver dory species in the diets of those who live in Australia or who travel to these regions.
5. American John Dory
The American john dory is also sometimes referred to as the buckler dory species, yet it is another species altogether. The American john dory lives in the western Atlantic Ocean from Canada to the Carolinas. Its physical features are somewhere in between the features of a John Dory and a European buckler dory species.
While some anglers will encounter the American john dory while they are fishing the ocean floor for other species, they do not target these species with their baited hooks. Small crustaceans and squid comprise the diet of the American john dory species which give the flesh of the American john dory its faint sweet flavor. Since this species lives in relatively shallow waters, it is often caught in lobster traps.
Consequently, this species earns its place on the menus of seafood restaurants located along the East Coast of the United States. Fishermen who target only the recreational parts of the ocean underappreciate the American john dory species. Yet when they do encounter this fish it will take the baited hook and cook well in a pan.
6. King Dory
The king dory is of a different energy than the other dory species. The king dory is the largest of the dory species yet has a more extended snout which allows it to hunt for food in deeper waters of the same areas as the silver dory. King dory species are fished in depths of over 300 meters off the coast of New Zealand and the Pacific.
Commercial fisheries also refer to the king dory as the stargazer dory species, which refers to the high positioning of the fish’s eyes. The fillets of the king dory are thick with a firmer flavor that is more savory than the delicate John Dory. Consequently, the king dory is best prepared as grilled fish or roasted whole as it features in larger sizes in the ocean.
Yet the habitat preference of this fish means that almost all sport fishermen will never encounter the king dory in their fishing efforts. Consequently, when anglers do encounter the king dory they should order the fish for dinner. The experience of eating this dory will change the way that individuals perceive the flavor of dory species.
7. Witch Dory
The witch dory is the last species of interest to include in a list of the most notable dory species. The witch dory species is of a small body size and lives in much of the same range as the other dory species. Yet the witch dory species is most commonly found in soft bottoms of the ocean floor.
This species earns its name from stories of Scottish fishermen who claimed it had some supernatural quality to it since it was often seen in their fishing nets at odd hours. While the witch dory species does not have any scientific explanation for its name, it is a favorite species for traditional British fish pies. Since the body size of the witch dory species is relatively small in comparison to other dory species, witch dorids are most often featured in dishes where it will melt in relation to other flavors in the dish.
Additionally, the witch dory species also has one of the lowest mercury levels of any white fish species, which makes it an excellent choice for frequent diners. Each of the dory species mentioned here has its distinct characteristics which make it worthwhile to seek out if anglers or cooks are interested in flavor and texture of their seafood. The most common feature of each species of dory fish is the mild and sweet flavor of the flesh.
This attribute of the dory fish species is what has made dory fish a staple in kitchens from Victorian times until the present day. By understanding the various types of dory species, whether one is at the market for seafood or whether one is still on the end of their fishing line, individuals will have a deeper appreciation for the flavor of the fish. Consequently, the next time that one spots an odd and flat species of fish that bites on the bait or shows up in the market with the fishmonger’s catch, they should take a closer look at the species.
The question of which type of dory fish it may be will help individuals to prepare the fish into a meal that they will remember long after the meal is over.