Fish of the Year - Common Whitefish

Coregonus lavaretus lavaretus  
  
The whitefish is a marine fish of the salmonid family. It is predominantly diurnal and prefers to travel in schools.  
  
From the second half of October to December, whitefish come to spawn in shallow harder-bottom areas of coastal waters sheltered from stronger waves. Whitefish travelling to spawn in larger rivers, such as the River Narva or the River Pärnu, are known as anadromous whitefish.
 
The species has quite a varied diet: juveniles feed mostly on zooplankton, while the diet of adults includes molluscs, isopods, amphipods, insects and other fishes (incl. gobies).  
 
The whitefish has long been regarded as a valuable food fish. It is most commonly eaten salted. Fresh whitefish has a slight smell of fresh cucumber.