Main Mediterranean fish species can be listed as whitefish, red mullet, sea bream, blue fish, sea bass, grouper, parrot fish and sea bream. Apart from these, there are also dangerous fish species such as sharks, stingrays and greater weever. Mediterranean fish species consist of 712 fish species including their subspecies.
The Mediterranean is the world's largest inland sea and its average depth is 1500 meters. In the Mediterranean, the amount of oxygen at the bottom is higher than in the Black Sea and Marmara Sea, due to the effect of currents from the surface to the bottom.
The Eastern Mediterranean is the poorest among our seas in terms of nutritional elements. High temperature, salinity and lack of rivers have restricted life in the region. The nutrient elements sinking to the bottom as a result of surface evaporation, the entry of poor Atlantic Ocean waters through the Strait of Gibraltar through surface currents, and the outflow of the nutrient elements of the Mediterranean from the bottom to the Atlantic Ocean are among the reasons for this situation. The Eastern Mediterranean and even the entire Mediterranean is called the "Blue Desert" due to the lack of nutritious elements.
The Mediterranean, which had no connection with any other sea until recently, was connected to the Red Sea with the opening of the Suez Canal. Due to migratory species, there are more than 90 new fish species in the Mediterranean today.
Mediterranean Fish Varieties
Leerfish and Its Characteristics
Fish Type: Lepidoptera
Family: Lichiidae
Latin name: Lichia amia
English name: Leerfish
Leer fish is one of the Mediterranean fish varieties, can generally reach a length of 50 - 100 cm, a maximum of 180 cm and a weight of 60 kg. It feeds on shellfish, molluscs and small fish. It lives in small flocks in the bottom areas near the coast. It eats other fish around it as if to destroy them. Leerfish is a fish species in danger of extinction due to heavy hunting in the past. Although not as good as bluefish, it has a delicious meat.
Mullet Fish and Its Characteristics
Fish Type: Mullet
Family: Mullidae
Latin name: Mullus barbatus
English name: Red mullet
It lives in flocks on the sandy, muddy beaches of warm and temperate waters, at depths reaching approximately 300 meters. Red mullet, a fish species in the Mediterranean, is on average 12 - 15 cm long, with a maximum length of 40 cm. The lifespan of red mullet fish, which make seasonal migrations from the depths to the shore depending on the water temperature, is on average 10 years. It lays between 15,000 and 100,000 eggs during the breeding period between April and June. It is a species with high economic value due to the flavor of its meat and its frequent hunting.
It is generally found in the Aegean and Mediterranean regions. There are four types: Rock red mullet, Grass red mullet, Sand red mullet and Pasha red mullet. The most valuable among these is known as rock mullet. The rock mullet has a red back and a white belly, and there are no gray spots on its back. The back of the sand and grass mullet is a mixture of gray and red colors. Pasha red mullet has a yellow stripe on both sides. The most delicious period for red mullet fish mixed with mullet is between July and October.
Bream Fish and Its Characteristics
Fish Type: Sea Bream
Family: Sparidae
Latin name: Sparus auratus
English name: Sea bream
It is generally between 20 and 35 cm tall. However, some weighing 6-7 kilograms have also been found. Sea bream, which wanders around the sea in small flocks, is also produced in farms. It is a carnivorous fish and has no difficulty in hunting small crustaceans and fish with its strong jaw. It lives in shallow areas during the summer and at depths of 35 to 40 meters during the winter. Bream over the age of two go to deeper areas. Their breeding season is between October and December. During this period, it lays between 100,000 and 150,000 eggs. The economic value of sea bream living in the Aegean and Mediterranean regions is very high.
Bluefish And Its Characteristics
Fish Type: Bluefish
Family: Pomatomidae
Latin name: Pomatomus saltator, Temnodon saltator
English name: Blue fish
Blue fish, which wander in flocks in the Mediterranean, Marmara, Black Sea, Indian and Atlantic Oceans, is a migratory fish. The lateral line is straight and covered with scales, the number of scales on the line is approximately 95-100 pieces. Its teeth are sharp, its back is dark blue and greenish, and its underside is silvery. Bluefish living in cold seas are fattier and more delicious. As you go south, the meat becomes bland. Between September and January is the fattiest and most delicious time for bluefish. Bluefish takes different names depending on its size.
Sea Bass And Its Characteristics
Fish Type: Sea Bass
Family: Serranidae
Latin name: Dicentrarchus labrax
English name: Sea bass
Sea bass has a lifespan of 20 years and an average length of 50 – 60 cm. However, some have been seen reaching 1 meter in length and 10 – 12 kg in weight. Sea bass smaller than 40 centimeters is called spinach. Its body resembles a missile and has 65-80 scales on its lateral line. It has a thorn-like protrusion at the tip of its gills. Body color is dark gray on the upper part and white on the lower part. It lives in seas and brackish water areas. There are 12 different species of sea bass living in the shallow parts of warm and warm seas. Not very migratory, the sea bass travels in groups when young, but later lives alone. Living in dark and secluded places, perch nests in shipwrecks or rock holes.It lays between 500,000 and 2,000,000 eggs between January and March. Sea bass, one of the most delicious fish species, has a very high economic value.
Grouper Fish and Its Characteristics
Fish Type: Grouper
Family: Serranidae
Latin name: Epinepheius
English name: Dusky grouper
The average length of the grouper fish is 60 cm, but it can reach a maximum length of 140 cm. Its average weight is 15 kg. It can reach a maximum weight of 60 kilograms. The thick skin of the grouper is covered with small scales. Its body is flat and oval from the side. There are green and yellow spots and vertical bands on the head, back and sides, which are only visible when alive and disappear when dead. The underside is lighter colored than the top. The gill covers of the grouper fish are light colored and spiny, and the tail fin is round.
Parrot Fish and Its Characteristics
Fish Type: Parrot Fish
Family: Scaridae
Latin name: Sparisama Cretense
English name: Parrot Fish
Parrot Fish, which is commonly found in the Eastern Mediterranean and rarely in the Aegean, is also known as Iskaroz. Parrotfish, which live in shallow, grassy and stony areas of warm waters, breed in the summer months and lay 800,000 eggs. It feeds on seaweeds. It is a little-known fish, but its meat is firm and delicious. This fish, which has a colorful and fascinating beauty like a parrot, must be protected for its ecological value.
Common Dentex And Its Characteristics
Fish Type: Dentex
Family: Dentex Dentex
Latin name: Linaeus
English name: Common Dentex
Sinarit is an agile and active fish belonging to the Karagöz family. It can reach a weight of 10-15 kg and a length of 1-1.5 meters. It can easily eat all shelled creatures with its strong jaw that can easily break a lobster. It feeds on molluscs, cuttlefish and small fish. It lives in small flocks at depths of up to 300 meters in winter and in rocky areas of the coast in summer. It is a valuable fish because it is a rare fish and its meat is delicious.
