TheEuropean seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), also known as thebranzino,European bass,sea bass,common bass,white bass,capemouth,white salmon,sea perch,white mullet,sea dace orloup de mer, is a primarily ocean-going fish native to the waters offEurope's western and southern andAfrica's northern coasts, though it can also be found in shallow coastal waters and river mouths during the summer months and late autumn. It is one of only sixspecies in itsfamily,Moronidae, collectively called the temperate basses.
It is fished and raised commercially and is considered the most important fish currently cultured in theMediterranean. In Ireland and the United Kingdom, the popular restaurant fish sold and consumed assea bass is exclusively the European bass.[2] In North America, it is widely known by one of its Italian names,branzino.[3]
European seabass is a slow-growing species that takes several years to reach adulthood. An adult European seabass usually weighs around 2.5 kg (5.5 lb). European seabass can reach measurements of up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) in length and 12 kg (26 lb) in weight, though the most common size is only about half of that at 0.5 m (1 ft 8 in).[citation needed] Individuals are silvery grey and sometimes a dark-bluish color on the back.
Juveniles form schools and feed oninvertebrates, while adults are less social and prefer to consume other fish. They are generally found in thelittoral zone near the banks of rivers, lagoons, and estuaries during the summer and migrate offshore during the winter. European sea bass feed on prawns, crabs and small fish. It is a sought-after gamefish and is listed asNear Threatened by theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature[4] due to a decreasing population.
The European seabass was first described in 1758 bySwedishzoologistCarl Linnaeus in his workSystema Naturae. He named itPerca labrax. In the century and a half following, it was classified under a variety of new synonyms, withDicentrarchus labrax winning out as the accepted name in 1987. Itsgeneric name,Dicentrarchus, derives fromGreek, from the presence of two anal spines, "di" meaning two, "kentron" meaning sting, and "archos" meaning anus. The European bass is sold under dozens of common names in various languages. In theBritish Isles, it is known as the "European bass," "European seabass," "common bass," "capemouth," "king of the mullets," "sea bass," "sea dace," "sea perch," "white mullet," "white salmon," or simply "bass".[5]
Phylogenetic tree ofMoronidae based on the mt-nd6 protein[6]
There are two genetically distinct populations of wild European seabass. The first is found in the northeastAtlantic Ocean, and the second is in the western Mediterranean Sea. The two populations are separated by a relatively narrow distance in a region known as theAlmeria-Oran oceanographic front, located east of theSpanish city ofAlmería. The exact reason for this separation is unknown, as the geographic divide should not account for the lack ofgene flow between the two populations. The larval stage of the European seabass can last up to 3 months, during which it cannot swim well, and even a small amount of water flow should transport some individuals between the two regions. In addition, juveniles can survive temperature and salinity changes, and adults can migrate hundreds of miles.[7]
The European seabass hunts as much during the day as it does at night, feeding on small fish (both pelagic, such assardines,sprats, andsand smelts, and demersal, such assand eels),polychaetes,cephalopods (such assquid), andcrustaceans.[10] The big fish weighing more than 4 kg (8.8 lb) are mostly night hunters. They spawn from February to June,[10] mostly in inshore waters. As fry they are pelagic, but as they develop, they move into estuaries, where they stay for a year or two.[11]
Capture (blue) and aquaculture (green) production of European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) in thousand tonnes from 1950 to 2022, as reported by theFAO[12]
Annual catches of wild European seabass are relatively modest, fluctuating between 8,500 and 11,900 tonnes from 2000 to 2009. Most reported catches originate from the Atlantic Ocean, with France typically reporting the highest catches. In the Mediterranean, Italy used to report the largest catches but has been surpassed by Egypt.[13]
The fish has come under increasing pressure fromcommercial fishing and became the focus in the United Kingdom of aconservation effort by recreational anglers.[14] Ireland has strict laws regarding bass. Allcommercial fishing for the species is banned, and several restrictions are in place for recreational anglers: a closed season from May 15 – June 15 inclusive every year; a minimum size of 400 mm (16 in); and a bag limit of two fish per day. In a scientific advisory (June 2013), it is stressed that fishing mortality is increasing. The total biomass has been declining since 2005. Total biomass assumed as the best stock size indicator in the last two years (2011–2012) was 32% lower than the total biomass in the three previous years (2008–2010).[15]
European seabass was one of Europe's first fish to be farmed commercially. Historically, they were cultured in coastal lagoons and tidal reservoirs before mass-production techniques were developed in the late 1960s. It is the most important commercial fish widely cultured in the Mediterranean. Greece, Turkey, Italy, Spain, Croatia, and Egypt are the most important farming countries. Annual production was more than 120,000 tonnes in 2010.[16] The world's biggest producer of European seabass is Turkey.[17]
Branzino, sometimes known as "spigola" in southern Italy, is popular in Italian cuisine as a main course. It is often prepared by roasting the entire fish and serving it with lemon. The meat is often desired because of its sweet taste and flaky white texture.[18] In French it is sometimes known as "barr" or "loup de mar", and in Spanish it is often referred to as "robalo". Each time the whole fish is cooked and plated.[19]
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