White steenbras

Lithognathus lithognathus

Breeding shoals threatened by beach seines

White
Tropical
Regional distribution
Atlantic Ocean
Africa
Fusiform
Large
Tropical fish

The white steenbras (Lithognathus lithognathus) is a species of fish in the family Sparidae endemic to South Africa. Due to overfishing, primarily by seine netting operations in False Bay, the white steenbras is now endangered and is about to become a 'no keep' species in South Africa. Massive breeding shoals are illegally wiped out by beach seine netters each year, with the authorities doing little to prevent this.

Class: Teleosts
Order: Surgeonfishes and Allies
Family: Sparidae
Genus: Lithognathus
Maximum length: 200 cm
Body shape: fusiform
Distribution: Southeast Atlantic: known only from the Orange River mouth to Natal, South Africa.

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