John dory

The John dory is native to our waters. Its populations have never been very high but the fish is not yet considered overfished. It can reach 70 centimeters in length, although it usually does not exceed 40 centimeters, and it reproduces during the spring months. It is caught using bottom trawls, static nets, and deep vertical lines.

It is a demersal species that lives at depths ranging from 10 to 400 meters, usually on sandy or muddy substrates. Its weight is disproportionately small in relation to its length, since its body is strongly laterally compressed. This appears to help in surprising its prey, since the fish’s profile does not reveal its true dimensions. Although not a very capable swimmer, the John dory hunts its prey by approaching it slowly and, with a sudden outward extension of its mouth, sucks in a quantity of water along with its prey. It feeds mainly on fish, cephalopods, and crustaceans. Its meat is of very good quality, however it is recommended to buy with caution as it is not abundant in Cypriot waters, and it is caught, among other methods, using bottom trawling.

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.