Cyprus Fish

Cyprus is surrounded by the waters of Levantine that is the east basin of the Mediterranean, whose waters are characterised by a high temperature and salt capacity as well as a low concentration of natural ingredients.

Due to the low concentration of natural ingredients, there is a low production of natural organisms and therefore a lower biomass of other marine organisms, including fish.

Nevertheless, the wide variety of habitats which is provided in this area, mainly due to the particular morphology of the seafloor, contributes to the existence of a large variety in organisms. Over 300 types of fish have been found in the sea around Cyprus, some of them being immigrants from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal.

Due to the low biomass of the fish in the sea area of Cyprus in comparison to other areas in the Mediterranean, fishing is not an important area in the Cypriot economy. Its contribution to the gross national product, as a primary production in the industry does not exceed 0.3%, while the annual consumption of fish products per person is relatively low (around 20kg).

Nevertheless, the fishing sector in Cyprus is considered important, particularly because it offers social and economic benefits in coastal areas (creation of jobs, attract visitors, etc.), but also because it contributes in providing fresh and healthy products for consumers.

In addition, recent years have seen a significant increase in the number of anglers, who see the preoccupation with fishing as a means of relaxation and escape from everyday life.

A list with the 100 different types of fish in Cyprus can be seen below :

Types of Fish in Cyprus
Scientific Name	English Name
Atherinomorus Lacunosus	Hardyhead Silverside
Epinephelus caninus	Dogtooth grouper
Dasyatis centroura	Roughtail stingray
Belone belone	Garpike
Rhinobatos cemiculus	Blackchin guitarfish
Phycis phycis	Forkbeard
Solea solea	Common sole
Boops boops	Bogue
Chlorophthalmus agassizi	Shortnose greeneye
Coris julis	Rainbow wrasse
Gobius niger	Black goby
Trachinus draco	Greater weever
Tetrapturus belone	Mediterranean spearfish
Tetrapturus belone	Mediterranean spearfish
Trigloporus lastoviza	Streaked gurnard
Pseudocaranx dentex	White trevally
Mugil cephalus	Flathead mullet
Squalus acanthias	Piked Dogfish, Spurdog
Polyprion americanus	Wreckfish
Scomber japonicus	Chub mackerel
Cepola macrophthalma	Red bandfish
Siganus rivulatus	Marbled spinefoot
Siganus luridus	Dusky spinefoot
Apogon imberbis	Cardinal fish
Coryphaena hippurus	Common dolphinfish
Lagocephalus sceleratus	Silverstripe blaasop
Dicentrarchus labrax	European seabass
Lichia amia	Leerfish
Trachinotus ovatus	Derbio
Pagellus erythrinus	Common Pandora
Uranoscopus scaber	Stargazer
Scomberomorus commerson	Narrow-barred spanish mackerel
Spicara smaris	Picarel
Centracanthus cirrus	Curled picarel
Oblada melanura	Saddled seabream
Spicara maena	Blotched Picarel
Seriola dumerili	Greater amberjack
Conger conger	Conger eel
Torpedo marmorata	Marbled torpedo ray
Lithognathus mormyrus	Striped bream
Merluccius merluccius	European hake
Pagellus bogaraveo	Blackspot seabream
Mullus surmuletus	Striped red mullet
Brama brama	Atlantic pomfret
Umbrina cirrosa	Shi drum
Xiphias gladius	Swordfish
Macroramphosus scolopax	Longspine spinefish
Dactylopterus volitans	Flying gurnard
Epinephelus marginatus	Dusky grouper
Diplodus puntazzo	Sharpsnout seabream
Sarda sarda	Atlantic bonito
Chromis chromis	Damselfish
Zeus faber	John dory
Myliobatis aquila	Common Eagle Ray
Serranus scriba	Painted comber
Lophius budegassa	Black-bellied angler
Mycteroperca rubra	Mottled grouper
Fistularia commersonii	Bluespotted cornetfish
Naucrates ductor	Pilotfish
Xyrichthys novacula	Pearly razorfish
Raja clavata	Thornback ray
Sargocentron rubrum	Red soldier fish
Blennius ocellaris	Butterfly blenny
Sardina pilchardus	European pilchard
Sarpa salpa	Cow bream
Trachurus sp.	Horse mackerel
Sciaena umbra	Brown meagre
Spondyliosoma cantharus	Black seabream
Synodus saurus	Bluestriped lizardfish
Sparisome cretense	Parrotfish
Scorpaena scrofa	Largescale Scorpionfish
Helicolenus dactylopterus	Blackbelly Rosefish
Scomber scombrus	Atlantic mackerel
Schyliorhinus canicula	Lesser Spotted Dogfish
Muraena helena	Mediterranean Moray
Diplodus sargus	White seabream
Diplodus cervinus	Zebra seabream
Caranx crysos	Blue runner
Diplodus annularis	Annular seabream
Epinephelus costae	Goldblotch grouper
Mullus barbatus	Red mullet
Etrumeus teres	Round herring
Dentex dentex	Striped bream
Epinephelus aeneus	White grouper
Sphyraena sphyraena	European barracuda
Thunnus alalunga	Albacore
Thunnus thynnus	Northern bluefin tuna
Upeneus moluccensis	Goldband goatfish
Sparus aurata	Gilt-head sea bream
Ruvettus pretiosus	Oilfish
Pagrus pagrus	Common Bream
Dentex gibbosus	Pink dentex
Pempheris vanicolensis	Vanikoro sweeper
Pagellus acarne	Axillary bream
Sardinella aurita	Round sardinella
Serranus cabrilla	Comber
Diplodus vulgaris	Two-banded seabream
Symphodus tinca	Peacock wrasse
Parexocoetus mento	African sailfin flying fish
Balistes capriscus	Grey triggerfish