White steenbras

White steenbras
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Sparidae
Genus: Lithognathus
Species: L. lithognathus
Binomial name
Lithognathus lithognathus
(Cuvier, 1829)

The white steenbras (Lithognathus lithognathus) is a species of fish in the Sparidae family[1] endemic to South Africa.[2] Due to overfishing, primarily by seine netting operations in False Bay, the white steenbras is now critically 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,[3] with the authorities doing little to prevent this.[4] The species was identified as a priority for research, management and conservation in a National Linefish Status Report[5]

References

  1. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 4 August 2007.
  2. Skelton, P. 1996. Lithognathus lithognathus.
  3. Link to illegal hauls of White Steenbras
  4. Public Vow to stop Illegal White Steenbras hauls being made by Beach Seine Netters
  5. Bennett, Rhett Hamilton. 2012. Movement patterns, stock delineation and conservation of an overexploited fishery species, Lithognathus Lithognathus (Pisces: Sparidae). Doctoral thesis - PhD. Grahamstown: Rhodes University


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