This charmingly ugly fish is found across the North Atlantic Ocean from north of Russia to the Scotian Shelf, off Nova Scotia.

Adult northern wolffish are observed to make limited movements and are non-migratory. The northern wolffish favours open continental-shelf water that is cold-usually between 2°C to 5°C-and mainly at depths between 400 and 1000 metres. The fish is thought to prefer a rocky or muddy sea floor but is found over all types of ocean bottoms.

The northern wolffish is thick and heavyset, with a large head and teeth at the front of the jaw that are smaller and sharper than the other two wolffish species found in Atlantic Canada. The shape and size of its mouth and teeth allow it to capture moving (pelagic) prey. It can grow to 145 centimetres in length and almost 20 kilograms in weight. The northern wolffish has a more uniform body colour than the other wolffish species, ranging from grey to dark chocolate, sometimes with a light violet sheen.