Fish Face Seafood Blog | What are skate wings?

Last updated: 18 November, 2024 @ 12:04

“What is skate?” Asked the young girl standing in the queue at our local fish and chips shop. “It’s a type of flatfish,” replied her dad.

Evidently, there’s a need for a beginner’s guide to skate – and here it is!

When is a skate not a skate?

Strictly speaking, the young girl’s dad is correct – in a way.

You could say skate is a flatfish – as it is indeed somewhat flattened in appearance.

However, skate is very different to your Dover sole, plaice or the unpopular flounder.

Common skate?

The common skate is the largest species of skate in the world – growing up to 285cm in length and weighing more than 97.1kg. That’s a lot of batter.

Once a widely-distributed species, the common skate is now far less common, and rarely seen in British waters having been fished to the brink of extinction.

As a result, it’s not common skate you’re going to be eating alongside your chips and mushy peas.

So, the question remains – what is skate?

Fish marketed as ‘skate wings’ in fish and chip shops and fishmongers could actually come from a number of different species of skates or rays.

Now here’s the tricky part. If the skate wings found at your local fishmonger have been skinned, then it’s going to prove difficult to identify which species it actually is.

If the skate wings haven’t been skinned – you’re going to wish they have been, because it’s a tough job requiring both brute force and dexterity – especially for those skates or rays which have painful little spikes or thorns running across their wings.

An artist's impression of some fish landed on a beach. — The common skate was once a common catch

What are skate wings?

Commonly, the ‘wings’ – or pectoral fins – of skate are landed into UK ports (with the exception of undulate ray, which must be landed whole).

The wings are easy to cook, and are quite unlike any other fish in both taste and texture.

The meaty, mild-flavoured flesh easily pulls away from long, strips of cartilage – making skate ideal for those with a fear of fish bones.

In terms of buying skate wings, they make for betting eating if left for one or two days after landing.

But be careful, if they go too far the other way you’ll be left with the very unpleasant taste of ammonia in your mouth.

The key thing to remember when eating skate is to use your nose – if you get a whiff of ammonia, then it’s a no go.

So what is fish and chip shop skate?

When it comes to your fish and chip shop skate it’s going to prove impossible to identify which fish you’re eating – unless of course the fish fryer knows.

However, we can take a look at some of the likely suspects when it comes to the skate found at your local chippy.

Blonde ray

A beautiful looking fish with light skin covered in small dark spots alongside slightly larger cream-coloured ones.

Blonde ray is an important commercial species, particularly in the south of England – with some 180 tonnes landed into Cornish ports alone in 2021.

Cuckoo ray

Another of the more easily identifiable skates, the cuckoo ray has a large, dark spot on each wing – which very much look like a false pair of eyes.

Recent studies show that the cuckoo ray is doing well in UK waters, but there is currently no management plans in terms of sustainable fisheries.

Some fishermen adhere to self-imposed codes of practice, seasonal closure of fishing grounds, and minimum landing sizes – which helps adults reach maturity and breeding age.

According to the Cornwall Good Seafood Guide, a total of 86 tonnes of cuckoo ray was landed into Cornish ports in 2021.

Spotted ray

Darker in colour than the similar looking blonde ray, landings of spotted ray have increased in number over the last few years, with 49 tonnes coming through Cornish ports alone in 2021.

Little is known about the health and sustainability of spotted ray – which is one of the ray species marketed as skate wings – in UK waters, but the International Conservation Union (IUCN) states that as of 2024, the species is rated as being of ‘Least Concern’ on its scale of endangered species.

Spotted ray and cuckoo ray — A spotted ray and a cuckoo ray

Undulate ray

The undulate ray is a conservation success story.

Following a five-year ban on landing undulate ray, which ended in 2014, the species has recovered to a healthy level and being fished in a sustainable manner – with a number of strict measures and conditions in place.

This strikingly beautiful fish, with its distinctive dark brown wavy bands and scattered pale spots, is one of the more easily identifiable members of the ray family.

In 2021, a total of 3.8 tonnes of undulate ray was landed into Cornwall.

Small eyed ray

The small eyed ray, so named because of its, well, small eyes is another species which is commonly marketed as skate.

It’s not clear how well the small eyed ray is doing in UK waters owing to a lack of scientific data. However, one study has found heathy stocks off the north coast of Cornwall, with the fishery said to be sustainable.

The wings of the small eyed ray, if skin-on, can be identified by a noticeable thin, white trim running all along the edge of the wing.

More commonly caught as bycatch, 34 tonnes of small eyed ray was landed into Cornish ports in 2021.

Shagreen ray

The shagreen ray is one of the rarer species of ray, and isn’t found in the UK’s inshore waters.

Some quantities of shagreen ray are landed into UK ports – but with little known about the species, the fish is rated by the Marine Conservation Society as being ‘one to avoid’.

Thornback ray

If you’ve ever had to skin the wings of a thornback ray then you’ll know that owing to its rose-like thorns and your subsequently bloodied knuckles it’s probably the easiest species of skate to identify.

One of the most common forms of ray found in UK waters, the thornback is one of the more likely species of ray sold as skate sold in fish and chips shops.

Unless you’ve some plasters at the ready, it’s advisable to ask your fishmonger to skin the wings of the thornback ray, as it’s a difficult, and sometimes painful, task – but it’s worth the effort – as thornback ray wings make for excellent eating.

Preparing skate wings

Skate wings are easy to cook, easy to eat, and delicious. Use your nose when buying, and if a strong scent of ammonia is present then choose another fish.

Skinning a skate wing is certainly a good skill to learn, but be careful of any species which may have spikes or thorns.

If in doubt, ask your fishmonger to skin the wing for you – as most are in possession of a magical machine that does all of the hard work.

As with learning any new skill, there’s some great guides on YouTube, with our old favourite Duncan from Passionate About Fish providing one of the best.