Catching dentex is a joy for fishermen. However, this emblematic fish of the Mediterranean is one of the fish that is threatened.
Its success is due to its size and combativeness. In Corsica, where the species is particularly emblematic, the dentex is a fish that can reach one meter long and weigh nearly twenty kilos! As the fine weather approaches, the Dentex favors waters close to the surface over the deep waters that it returns to when winter arrives.
The dentex, a fish considered endangered
However, today this coastal fish is considered globally threatened and classified as vulnerable. Indeed, the dentex is included on the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
In just over thirty years, its overall population has declined by almost 30%. However, its role within the Mediterranean ecosystem is central, being a top predator.
First, dentex is a food fish. Overexploitation and eutrophication are two favorable factors to understand the disappearance of a part of the dentex.
Then, the dentex has characteristics that make it vulnerable and threatened by "intensive" fishing. In particular, its longevity estimated at up to twenty years, its size and its weak growth.
A collaboration has also been set up between the Delalande company, Stella Mare and the Corsican aquaculturists' union. The aim is to learn more about the behaviour of this species in order to preserve it for future years.
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