Common pandora

Common pandora was once abundant in Cypriot waters but in recent years its population has declined drastically due to various factors including overfishing, climate change and invasive species. It spawns during Autumn and Spring and its length ranges from 10 to 25 cm. It is caught using bottom trawling, longlines and static nets. EU Mediterranean regulations set a minimum landing size of 15 cm (total length) for Common Pandora.

The Common pandora is a benthic species and lives on rocky and muddy substrates, at depths ranging from 20 to 200 meters. It is a carnivorous fish and feeds on invertebrates, mainly crustaceans and worms, as well as small fish. It is also a protogynous hermaphroditic fish, reaching sexual maturity at a length of around 13 centimeters. It typically changes to male during its third year of life, when its length reaches around 16 centimeters.

Bottom trawling is one of the most harmful ways to fish in our seas, as it drags heavy gear across the seabed, damaging all kinds of habitats, killing benthic life and leading to high catches of non-targeted species. In the southern part of Cyprus there is a restriction for trawling during the 16th of February and the 31st of May, and in the northern part bottom trawling is altogether banned.

It is recommended to ask your fisher or fishmonger where the fish was caught and with which fishing method, as well as buying this species outside of its spawning period. Prefer locally harvested seafood products by coastal small-scale fisheries and make sure your fish adheres to EU minimum size regulations.