Common Types Of Gran Canaria Fish

Abae: Grouper

Atun: Tuna

Boquerones: Small anchovy fillets pickled in vinegar: Nicer than they sound.

Bacalao: Cod

Bacalado salado: Salted cod

Baila: Wild Canarian seabass (very rare)

Bicudo: Barracuda

Bonito: Small tuna

Breca: Pink bream

Caballa: Mackerel (seasonal)

Cabrilla: Comber

Cherne: Deep sea grouper

Chicharo: Horse mackerel (seasonal)

Dorada: Farmed gilthead bream

Gallo: Triggerfish 

Lenguado: Sole

Longorones: Whitebait

Lubina: Farmed seabass 

Medregal: Amberjack (meaty and sold as steaks)

Merluza: Hake

Mero: Grouper

Morena frita: Fried moray eel (bony and fatty: Best left in the sea)

Pejerey: Bluefish

Pescaitos: Tiny, hake-like fish served deep fried with their tails in their mouths. 

Pez de San Pedro: John Dory

Pez espada: Swordfish

Pulpo: Octopus

Rascacio: Scorpionfish (used for soup)

Salema: Porgy (avoid)

Sama: Dentex or giant (and delicious) pink bream

Sardinas: Sardines

Sargo: Striped bream

Sierra: Small Tuna

Tapaculo: Flatfish

Vieja: Parrotfish

Common Gran Canaria Restaurant Terms

A la espalda: A fish that has been split open and grilled skin side down. Comes with lots of garlic.

Al Horno: Baked

A la plancha: Grilled

A la sal: Whole fish cooked under a crust of salt

Almejas: Clams

Arroz caldoso de bogavante: Soupy rice with lobster

Bogavante: Lobster with claws

Buey: Edible or brown crab

Berberechos: Cockles

Burgaos: Winkles

Calamares: Squid

Calamares a La Romana: Battered and fried squid rings. So 1980s

Calamares fritos: Squid rings dipped in flour and fried

Camarones: Small shrimps served whole. Eating the head is optional

Chipirones: Small grilled squid. Best with green mojo

Centollo: Spider crab

Ceviche: Peruvian dish made with raw fish 'cooked' in fresh lime juice. 

Cigala: Dublin Bay prawn

Churros de pescado: Battered white fish

Choco: Cuttlefish. Like squid, but sweeter

Croquetas de pescado: Fish croquettes

Erizos: Sea urchins

Frita: Fried

Gambas: Prawns

Gambas al ajillo: Garlic prawns

Gambas a La Gabardina: Prawns in batter

Gofio escaldado: Thick gruel made from gofio, fish soup and mint leaves, served with red onion. Traditional seafood side dish in the Canary Islands.

Huevas: Fish roe, normally cod or hake. Fried and served whole.

Langosta: Spiny lobster (imported)

Lapas: Limpets: Served with green mojo. Chewy but tasty.

Mejillones: Mussels

Mojo: Canarian garlic and coriander sauce. Green version served with fish.

Navaja: Razorshell

Ostras: Oysters. Not native and imported from Galicia in northern Spain.

Paella: Pronounced pa-e-ya. Only order if the menu warns that it takes a while (otherwise it's frozen and not so good) or at weekends when many restaurants knock up a batch.

Pella de gofio: Think paste made with roasted maize flower: Served with sancocho stew.

Pescado de barquillo: Small fish caught by local inshore fishermen. Served fried of grilled.

Pulpo: Octopus

Pulpo frito: Small octopus fried whole and served with green mojo.

Pulpo a La Gallega: Sliced octopus tentacles served with sea salt and paprika

Puntitas de calamar: Tiny squid battered and deep fried. Like seafood popcorn.

Rodaballo: Turbot (farmed)

Salpicón de marisco: Seafood salad with peppers, onion and a mixture of seafood and fish. Served cold with olive oil and vinegar. Can be delicious.

Sancocho: Traditional Canarian stew made from salted fish: An acquired taste.

Sopa de marisco: Seafood soup

Tacos de pescado: Bits of white fish dipped in flour and fried. 

Tollos: Strips of dried dogfish. Often stewed. Avoid.