Fish Poisson

Black seabream

Spondyliosoma cantharus

Black seabream
(IV) North Sea, (VIId) Eastern English Channel, (VIIe) Western English Channel, (VIIf) Bristol Channel, (VIIg) Northern Celtic Sea, (VIIh) Southern Celtic Sea, (VIII) Bay of Biscay
Fishing zones
Wild
Origin
35 cm
Minimum size

Description

Its body is oval, tall, and somewhat laterally compressed. Its head is relatively small, with a pointed snout and a forehead that becomes more concave with age (especially in large males). Unlike the gilthead seabream, it lacks grinding molars. Its teeth are small, pointed, and arranged in several rows, adapted to an omnivorous diet. Its color is silvery gray with bluish or golden highlights. The flanks are marked with fine dark or golden longitudinal lines.

Information

Habitat
It is a demersal fish that inhabits the continental shelves. It prefers rocky bottoms, Posidonia seagrass beds, and sandy or muddy bottoms near rocks. It is found from the surface down to a depth of about 150 meters, although it is most commonly found between 10 and 50 meters.
Distribution
It is widespread in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. It is found from Scandinavia (rare in Norway) to northern Namibia, including the Canary Islands, Madeira, and the Azores. It is very common in the English Channel, the North Sea, and the Bay of Biscay. It is also found throughout the Mediterranean basin and the Black Sea.
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