POACHER

also called Pogge, or Alligator Fish, any of the marine fish of the family Agonidae (order Scorpaeniformes). Poachers live in cold water, on the bottom, and are found mainly in the northern Pacific. They are small fish, measuring about 30 cm (12 inches) or less in length, and are distinguished by the bony, often saw-edged armour plates covering their bodies. Notable species include the sturgeon poacher (Agonus acipenserinus), a large, common, northern Pacific poacher, and the hook-nose, pogge, or armed bullhead (A. cataphractus), a small fish, common in northern Europe and one of the few poachers found outside the Pacific. Little is known about the natural history of the poachers. The various species are of little commercial value.