Fish of the Black Sea: what live, species, what they eat, list and description
The Black Sea has a fairly diverse fauna. At the same time, some of the inhabitants of this reservoir are even listed in the Red Book. There are also residents who have commercial value. However, in general, there are not many fish in the Black Sea. This is due to the fact that only 200 meters of the water surface is saturated with oxygen. In the deeper layers there is a lot of hydrogen sulfide. Because only the most resistant species live there.
Sea Bass
This is the common name for 90 species of commercial fish that belong to the Seranididae family and the Scorpionfish order.Sea bass can reach a length of one hundred centimeters. However, most varieties do not exceed 20 centimeters. Females of this fish grow on average up to eight to fifteen centimeters, and males - up to twelve to twenty. The mass of one fish is one hundred grams.
In spring and summer, large schools of these fish enter the Black Sea through the Bosphorus. After that, they move to coastal waters to spawn. Females lay up to ten thousand eggs. The basis of the diet of these fish is zooplankton. Sea bass is characterized by excellent taste. Therefore, it attracts many amateur anglers.
Sprat
This is a small relative of the herring, which is also called sprat. At the same time, people often get confused. This is due to the fact that ichthyologists and fishermen disagree. The latter are called sprats of all small herring individuals. It could also be a young herring.
At the same time, ichthyologists call sprats fish that belong to the sprattus species. Such individuals do not exceed 17 centimeters in size. At the same time, their maximum life expectancy is 6 years.
Sprat usually lives at a depth of two hundred meters. Since the waters of the Black Sea are saturated with hydrogen sulfide, this figure does not exceed one hundred and fifty meters.
Stingrays
They belong to the elasmobranch cartilaginous fish. There are 2 varieties of stingrays in the Black Sea. The most common species is called the sea fox. The tail and body of this fish are covered with spikes. At the same time, it is characterized by tasteless meat and is used for the manufacture of wound healing preparations.
Sea foxes mostly live near Anapa. There is also a stingray. It is often called a sea cat. This fish is also considered a species of sea stingrays.Unlike the fox, which has a gray-brown color, the stingray has a light, almost white tint.
The body of the fish is devoid of thorns. At the same time, there is a needle on its tail, which reaches a length of 35 centimeters. There is mucus on the ledge. It is poisonous, but not deadly.
The sea cat is an ovoviviparous species. Poisonous Black Sea individuals do not lay eggs, but carry them in the womb. After that, fry hatch from the capsules.
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Sea cock
This fish is characterized by protruding fins and multi-colored coloration. In addition, the guinea pig has a cocky disposition. The length of its body reaches 90 centimeters. At the same time, large individuals weigh up to 5 kilograms. Bright fins open in a fan pattern.
The gurnard is able to jump out of the water and fly several meters.Individuals are protected from enemies by a bone crest, which is located on the head and is covered with small spikes. Also, the fish is characterized by scales with sharp cone-shaped protrusions. This fish eats crabs, crustaceans and shellfish.
Such individuals are distinguished by delicious meat that resembles chicken. This led to the fact that gurnards are practically exterminated and listed in the Red Book. Currently, mining them is prohibited.
An interesting feature of gurnards is an unusual way of determining the edibility of prey. To do this, fish are felt with radial appendages. Juveniles feed several times a day. For adult fish, a single meal is enough. Of all the Black Sea fish species, the gurnard prefers red mullet.
Herring
This fish is characterized by an elongated body, which is slightly compressed from the sides and is distinguished by a thoracic protrusion-keel.The back of the herring is characterized by a blue-green color, and the belly is gray-silver. The length of the fish can reach fifty-two centimeters. However, most individuals do not exceed 33.
The largest herring species live in the Kerch Strait. It is mined there from March to May. Then the fish migrate to the Sea of Azov.
Sea dog
This small bottom fish reaches a length of 5 centimeters. It has a large head and anterior torso. The body tapers towards the tail. On the back of the sea dog is a solid fin-comb. However, the main difference between this type of fish is the branched outgrowths that are located above the eyes.
Many people are interested in what color the sea dog has. It is characterized by reddish-brown shades. Fish that live in the Black Sea live in shallow water and at a depth of up to 20 meters.Dogs prefer to form packs. At the same time, they hide between stones and rocky ledges.
Mackerel
This fish belongs to the Mackerel family and belongs to the order Perciformes. Catching mackerel in the Black Sea is becoming increasingly difficult. Due to the unintentional introduction of Mnemiopsis into the reservoir, the food species of this fish disappear.
Mackerel is famous for its taste. This fish is characterized by fatty meat, which contains a lot of unsaturated acids. It is important to bear in mind that in addition to benefit, these individuals can also bring harm. The fact is that mercury accumulates in the body of mackerel. However, this feature is inherent in many marine fish. Therefore, nutritionists advise alternating them with freshwater.
Sea Needle
This is one of the most unusual fish that live in the Black Sea. In appearance, individuals resemble a needle or snake. These fish often travel, cruising between the Black and Azov Seas with ease. The sea needle spawns several times a year - from April to mid-October. The maturation of fish takes a long period of time - 3-6 years. These individuals form schools and often serve as a food source for predatory fish and dolphins.
The pipefish feeds on crustaceans. Moreover, the fish does not bother to catch them, but simply draws them in with water. These individuals are considered relatives of the seahorse. When they stop, they lean on their tail.
Flounder
This is a commercial fish that lives at a depth of 100 meters. The flounder is characterized by a very unusual appearance. It has a flattened body.To disguise themselves, the upper body of the flounder produces various light pigments. At the same time, this ability is not typical for the lower side. The flounder loves to lie on its left side.
This fish belongs to predatory species. Its diet is based on small fish, crustaceans and mollusks. Flounder is characterized by dietary meat, the protein of which is 100% digestible. This fish also contains vitamins B12, A, D. In addition, it contains Omega-3 acids and phosphorus s alts.
Sea carp
Not everyone knows that crucian carp live not only in freshwater reservoirs. Representatives of the Sparovs are increasingly spreading in the Black Sea. Previously, crucians were mainly found in the coastal zones of Anapa and Adler. But recently they have been caught outside this zone as well.
In total, 13 species of crucians are found in the Black Sea. At the same time, 7 of them are passing and swim through the Bosphorus. The rest of the Black Sea crucians are sedentary.
These individuals are also called Laskirs. They look like freshwater carp. Individuals are characterized by an oval body, laterally compressed. From above it is covered with scales. Plates are even present on the gills and cheeks of the fish. The length of marine specimens usually does not exceed thirty-three centimeters. At the same time, crucian carp 10-13 centimeters in size predominate in the Black Sea. The easiest way to distinguish crucian carp is by color. They are characterized by a silver body with alternating dark and light stripes.
Black Sea gobies
This fish has a large head and belongs to the order Perciformes. In total, there are more than 600 species of gobies. At the same time, no more than 10 are found in the Black and Azov Seas.
The largest representative of these individuals is the goby-martovik, the most numerous is the round goby, and the rarest is the lynx goby. All members of this species spawn at shallow depths. She has a strong shell, and therefore is able to withstand the impact of the surf.
Mullet
This valuable commercial fish is a leader in terms of taste and popularity. The length of the Black Sea red mullet reaches 20-40 centimeters. At the same time, long antennae are located on the lower jaw of the fish. They are very important for nutrition. The red mullet uses its antennae to lift the bottom silt in search of food. It is characterized by bright scales dominated by red tones.
A distinctive feature of individuals is the ability to change shade. After being caught, the red mullet becomes bright red, and then gradually brightens. This type of fish is characterized by very nutritious meat. As a rule, red mullet is fried, dried and s alted.
Sea ruff
The sea ruff is also called the scorpionfish. It is a predatory fish that lies in wait for prey on the sand or among the stones. These individuals live at a depth of up to 50 meters and are predominantly nocturnal. Sea ruffs feed on everything that swims in front of them. However, they often ambush prey.
It is recommended to catch such individuals on bottom gear. When choosing bait, it is recommended to give preference to horse mackerel, sprats, shrimps. Also, sea ruff can be caught on chicken meat.
Swordfish
This fish is rare in the Black Sea. Here it appears only if it swims from other waters. A characteristic feature of the swordfish is a powerful bony nose, resembling a saber. However, the fish does not pierce its victims with this tool, but beats backhand.
Belamida
This commercial marine fish belongs to the Scombriev family. Bonito lives in the Crimea. Life expectancy exceeds 10 years. It is capable of reaching a length of 1 meter and belongs to herd predators.
Shoals of bonito enter the Black Sea through the Bosporus every few years. These individuals not only feed here, but also spawn. With the onset of autumn, the bonito always heads south. It is worth noting that it is characterized by excellent taste.
Sturgeons
This is a family of the oldest order of cartilaginous fish. Sturgeons lived when the basis of the skeleton in the form of a bone had not yet appeared in the course of evolution. These fish are predominantly migratory. This means that most of their lives they live in the sea, but they move to rivers to spawn.
In sea waters, representatives of the Sturgeon family prefer to lead a bottom lifestyle and feed mainly on mollusks. The life expectancy of such individuals reaches 40 years. However, they are able to reach very large sizes.
Meat of representatives of the Sturgeon family has excellent taste qualities. However, their caviar has an even higher consumer value.
Beluga is considered a very common representative of the family. The largest individuals reach a length of 9 meters and weigh 2 tons. The average weight of the fish is 50-200 kilograms. Despite the fact that beluga meat contains only 7-9% fat, it is second only to sturgeon in taste. In addition, this fish is characterized by the largest and most valuable black caviar.
Another common member of the family is the sturgeon.This is the common name for 16 species of anadromous and freshwater fish. The average weight of sturgeons living in the Black Sea is 15-20 kilograms. This fish is characterized by excellent taste. Sturgeon caviar is second only to beluga caviar.
Stellate sturgeon is considered a common representative of the Sturgeon family. In length, it reaches 2.2 meters and can weigh 68 kilograms. However, the average weight of individuals that can be caught is 5-10 kilograms. The stellate sturgeon is characterized by a narrowed body and a sharp head.
It is worth noting that the number of such individuals is constantly decreasing. Fish tissues contain 8-15% fat. From the point of view of cooking, stellate sturgeon, like other types of sturgeon, has no equal. At the same time, it is characterized by relatively small caviar, which is inferior in value to sturgeon and beluga. The most expensive type of fish glue is made from the stellate sturgeon's swim bladder.
Another popular representative of the sturgeon family is the thorn.The largest individuals reach 3 meters and weigh 200 kilograms. However, usually the sizes of the caught individuals are no more than 20-30 kilograms. It should be noted that the number of spikes is constantly decreasing. From the point of view of cooking, such individuals are slightly inferior to other members of the family. The name reflects the pointed shape of the torso.
Zelenushka
These individuals belong to the Perch-like order and number 8 species. This type of fish usually lives in rocks covered with thickets of algae. Spawning of such individuals occurs in the summer. At the same time, they lay up to 50 thousand eggs. During this period, the fish build nests that are located between the stones.
The diet of greenfinches is based on worms, crustaceans and molluscs. It is worth noting that these fish are characterized by a variegated color. Because they are well known to fishermen and divers. At the same time, the fish has no commercial value.
Katran
Katran is a small shark, 1-2 meters long and weighing 8-25 kilograms. Near the dorsal fins of individuals are spikes covered with mucus. They are distinguished by a poisonous shell.
Qatran poison is not too dangerous. A shark needle prick causes pain and swelling of the affected area, but does not pose a danger to life. The katran is characterized by a dark gray color and a light belly. Rare white spots are also present on the sides of the fish.
Mullet
These individuals belong to the Kefalevs. At the same time, several varieties of mullet are found in the Black Sea - ostronos, singil and striped mullet. The sharp nose is characterized by a narrow nose on which scales are located. The singil is characterized by plates that start from the back.At the same time, one tubule is located on the back.
Loban is considered the most common variety of the Black Sea mullet. It is characterized by a convex head and large size. Loban is characterized by rapid growth, and therefore is of great commercial importance. By the age of 6, this fish reaches 56-60 centimeters and weighs 2.5 kilograms.
Sea Dragon
In appearance, the sea dragon resembles gobies, but is characterized by poisonous properties. The threat is represented by spikes that are on the head and on its sides. The upper growths are like a crown. A collision with a sea dragon can cause limb paralysis and severe pain.
As a rule, fishermen face injections of such individuals. Poisonous fish get caught in nets and have to be pulled out. Not everyone succeeds in doing this carefully.
Stargazer
In total there are 15 types of stargazers, but only 1 lives in the Black Sea. It is distinguished by a flat head with large eyes that are close to the center. When a fish burrows into the sand, they look up. This allows individuals to wait for prey. However, from the side it seems that the fish is looking at the stars.
For such individuals, tasty dietary meat is characteristic. However, they do not belong to commercial varieties. This is due to the fact that stargazers have sharp poisonous spines on their gill covers. If they are injected, the affected area is very sore and swollen. Therefore, fishermen prefer to avoid meeting with astrologers.
There are a variety of fish species in the Black Sea. Some of them have commercial value, others are on the verge of extinction and are even listed in the Red Book, and others are dangerous poisonous species.
