Belone belone (Garpike Fish)

The garpike fish is a coastal common fish in Cyprus. We can find this fish from the shore until the open sea, at a depth of up to 10 metres. During the summer months this type of fish swims in shoals submerging at our shores.

The garpike fish can reach up to 90 cm in length and can exceed 1 kilo in weight but it usually does not exceed 50 cm. It is a very capable hunter and captures its pray with sudden sideway moves of its beak-type mouth. It mainly feeds on small fish.

It reproduction in the Cypriot waters take place during the summer months. The garpike fish is mainly caught by amateur fishermen from the shore or with the use of silk nets. These nets have the ability to get caught in the small and pointy teeth of the garpike fish.

The garpike fish takes the silk net to be a small fish swimming and therefore get caught in the net. Many amateur fishermen use the garpike fish as live bait for other larger fish. The garpike fish is very tasty and its commercial value is quite big.