Sparidae

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.