White grouper

The White grouper is one of our relatively large fish in Cyprus and is native to our waters. It can reach 115 centimeters in length and 25 kilograms in weight, although its typical length is around 50 centimeters and its weight around 3 kilograms. It spawns in spring and is caught using set longlines, static nets, spearguns and bottom trawls.

The species is classified as Near threatened in the Mediterranean assessment of the IUCN Red List. EU regulations have set a minimum length for fishing at 45 cm. It is recommended to buy with caution.

The White grouper is hermaphrodite and changes from female to male at the age of ten. It is found on mixed muddy bottoms at depths ranging from 10 to 100 meters and in Cyprus, it is absent from some areas, while it is frequently found in others. It has a habit of building its own nest by digging burrows in the soft substrate, beneath plates or clumps of seagrass. The white grouper feeds mainly on fish, cephalopods (octopuses, cuttlefish, squid), and crustaceans (crabs, shrimp, etc.).

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. 

Make sure your fish hasn’t been spearfished. 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.